Pokémon Brick Bronze: An Admin Story
by JRedd7272
Summary: (A retelling of PBB in my own eyes) Join Nifty Weaka on an adventure to become a Team Valor member and explore Roria! With his best friends, Sonic, Jake and Tess, they shall do many stuff to save the world! (Jake X Tess) (Rated T for mild content) (Told mostly through my OC's eyes) (Co-written/suggested with sonic14612 & xJustinx)
1. The Adventure Begins

**Have any of you ever heard of Pokémon Brick Bronze? If you didn't, then I don't blame ya. This game was released on Roblox, but due to copyright issues, it got shut down on April 18, 2018.**

 **This story is gonna show my adventures of who my Roblox avatar was: a Team Valor Admin(I know Pokémon Go is dead, calm down XD). Without further ado, let's get started!**

 **My Pokémon Brick Bronze team(I got past the 8th gym):**

 **Greninja**

 **Charizard**

 **Nidoking**

 **Rhydon**

 **Tyrantrum**

 **Aegislash**

* * *

In the Pokémon world, there is one region that stands out above the other: Roria. This place is rare to find from other regions, and that is what makes it so special.

We now place attention to a little town called Mitis Town. Over there is a few houses all painted red, and the entrance to Route 1. There was another entrance to a digging site that is condemned, preventing people from entering.

Another addition to this town is the Pokémon lab, where people there will get to pick their very first Pokémon. But in one of the houses, there is only one that stands out above the rest.

-Nifty's POV-

My name is Nifty Weaka. I am 16 years old, and I was always looking forward to starting an adventure of my own. I have yellow-orange spiky hair, and my outfit consists of some red shorts and white shirt with some red on it. Why red, you may ask? In the middle of my shirt, it has the logo of Team Valor. These guys aren't an evil team, don't worry! Just like Team Mystic and Team Instinct, they are nice. I just wanted to sleep. I am not a morning person.

After a few more minutes of my beauty sleep, I heard my alarm clock ring. Perfect. I got pretty frustrated, so I tried to grab it, still with my eyes closed. Finally, I grab my stupid alarm clock and throw it out the window.

"Just give me a few more minutes..." I groaned. I turned over, I just want to sleep, for the love of Arceus. Wait a minute... TODAY'S THE DAY! I quickly get up, realizing something.

"Oh wait!" I shouted. I hopped out of bed and stood up, gaining a smile on my face

"I can't believe today has finally come! Today is the day I get my first Pokémon from the Pokémon Professor! I have always dreamed of setting out on an adventure with Pokémon by my side!" I exclaimed excitedly. I began to daydream about the many different kinds of Pokémon in the world. There used to be only 151 in this world, now it's estimated there's 802 of them in the whole world!

"There are so many Pokémon in this world. I hope to discover them all one day!" I said dreamily. I walk over and grab my yellow bag, which I had for a while whenever I traveled to other regions with my parents. Once I strip by bag down my left shoulder, I put my hands on my hips.

"Well, I better get going!" I said, and then I started humming a tune as I went downstairs. Wait, am I forgetting something? Oh my Arceus.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I need to fill out my trainer card!" I said to myself. I pull out my trainer card. I walk over to my small desk and grab a pencil. Now, should I put anything long? Eh, not that anyone would notice. Nifty. Did I write that correctly? Yeah, my name isn't that hard to spell. I put my trainer card by my bag as a keychain, so when people want to see me, they could look at it and recognize me.

"Awesome! I'm that much closer to becoming an official Pokémon trainer!" I exclaimed as I pumped my fist. I headed downstairs into the living room. My house was pretty small, and the kitchen and dining room right next to my living room. And, of course, my parents aren't here.

 _"Of course,"_ I thought, _"They're busy like always."_ Could I really blame them though? Don't get too judgmental! You see, my parents are archaeologists, so they are busy ALL THE FREAKING TIME. Once in a while, they come to spend time with me. Not as often as it used to be, I am 16 now.

But that wasn't the time to think. Now was the time to start my own adventure!

* * *

Once I went outside, I put on some sunglasses. No reason, I just think I look cool in them. I begin to hear someone shout my name.

"Hey, Nifty!" The voice shouted as the person with that voice ran over to me. The guy had straight blue hair, a short sleeve gray shirt, and some navy blue jeans. I smiled once I got to see him.

"Hi, Jake!" I greeted, "It's good to see ya!" Jake Caper was one of my best friends. Keyword: ONE. I have been his best friend since I was little. Once in while, we would visit each other and stay up late to talk about the adventures we would have. And today is finally the day!

"I can't believe we're getting our first Pokémon today! This is the day we dreamed of since we were kids!" Jake shouted in an excited tone.

"I know! I always thought of it, thinking to hope the day will come, and here we are now!" I said, opening my arms wide. Not to give him a hug, heck no. Although, I would give him one if he really needs one.

"I'm on my way to the lab to get mine right now!" Jake exclaimed, then jumped high in the air, not really caring of confusing the people around him.

"That's so cool, dude! This is gonna be amazing!" I shouted, putting my hand up in the air. Oh, my gosh, I cannot wait!

"Oh, yeah. Your parents wanted to see you before you went into the lab." Jake responded. Ah, yes. My parents. I bet they would want to see which Pokemon I would pick first. But they always wondered... who _would_ I pick?

"Man, I can't really contain my excitement," I said with a shrug, "Oh, well. Parents before Pokémon."

"I saw them passing by my house earlier, heading towards the digging site." Jake explained.

"Thanks for the heads up, Jake." I said, giving my friend a thumbs up.

"You should hurry and go talk to them," Jake suggested, "I'll be waiting for you at the lab!" Jake began to walk to the Pokémon lab, and I stayed, not wanting to follow him just yet. I want to see my parents to see their reaction.

Just as I was about to go to the digging site to see my parents, I got startled by someone putting a hand on my right shoulder. Oh, great. He always does this...

"GAH!" I shouted. I turned around to my _other_ best friend. This is why I said _one_ of my best friends when Jake was introduced. My other friend here had blue hair that is just a little brighter though. He had a black short sleeve shirt with a Star Wars logo on it from the latest movie, _Solo: A Star Wars Story._ I ain't a Star Wars fan, but I watched a couple movies before in my life. This friend also had black pants and orange shoes, and an alien bag. Yep, that's him.

"Ugh. Sonic," I groaned, and this revealing his friend's name, "Do you have to keep doing that every time we see each other?"

"I just thought I'd surprise you like always." Sonic replied with a grin. He does this every time we meet, nothing too huge.

"You just don't give up." I said with a smirk. Sonic removes his hand off my shoulder. About time.

"Anyway, are you ready to start your adventure? I'm gonna come with you as well to start mine!" Sonic responded.

"I'll be at the lab soon, Sonic," I said to him, "I just need to go see my parents."

"Okay, so... I guess I'll see you there?" Sonic asked.

"Yep, I'll be there soon. Give give me a few minutes, 'kay?" I replied. Sonic nodded in agreement, and went to the lab to meet up with Jake. Now, where was I? Oh yeah, my parents.

* * *

I walked over to the digging site. Jake was right, my parents are here. The cave in front of them was blocked, so no one can go in. Why did they close it? I don't know.

Sally Weaka is my mom. She has brown hair that reaches down to her neck, and a beige hat. She also had a white buttoned short sleeve shirt, and beige shorts as well, along with some black shoes.

Jared Weaka is my dad. He also has brown hair, but is short. His brown hat prevents his hair from being seen. He wore a brown jacket and a black shirt, and wears long pants that are tan colored, and some black sneakers as well. Both of them looked at the condemned entrance to a cave, not knowing how to react to this. What is over there? Did someone die? I have no idea unless they tell me.

"Well, that oughta take care of it." Mom said to my dad.

"We have to keep this a secret, for everyone's safety."

"You're right. It's too dangerous for anyone to go out there."

"I don't think we should tell anyone about this."

"Maybe we can tell that new professor."

"Maybe you're right."

Okay, that's enough of this. I need to get their attention. My Pokémon journey starts here after all!

"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!" I exclaimed, interrupting their conversation. My parents noticed me and got surprised by his appearance. Was that too much? Ok, I'll shut up now.

"Oh, Nifty! You startled me!" Mom shouted, still a bit shocked from my sudden appearance.

"Hey, champ! Today's the day you get your first Pokémon!" Dad said.

"We are so happy for you, sweetie!" Mom added.

"Sorry we didn't meet you at home," Dad replied, "We just discovered something in the cave last night. As archaeologists, your mother and I are very thorough in our work." So _that's_ what happened in the cave! Still not specific enough though...

"I don't blame you. I'm just very happy right now." I said, putting my hands behind my back.

"That's right, but enough talk," Mom responded, "Let's head down to the professor's lab and let you pick your very first Pokémon!"

"We'll see you there!" Dad added. Then he and mom walked over to the lab. Before I decided to follow them, I wanted to look at the cave. No, I'm not reckless enough to go check it out, but I can at least theorize. What kind of Pokémon could be there? A legendary? No, not possible.

 _"I wonder what could be over there."_ I thought. Ok, enough of that. To the lab!

* * *

After some walking, I finally entered the lab.

"Hey, guys! I'm finally here!" I yelled across the entrance. Jake noticed me and frantically waved, and Sonic just gave me a small "Hi". Soon, I was greeted by who must be the Pokémon Professor of Roria. The professor wore a black suit with a blue tie, and also long, black pants and black shoes. He also had gray glasses. The professor smiled warmly as he greeted everyone here.

"Hello, my name is Professor Cypress," He greeted, "I am the new professor in Mitis Town. Your parents were just telling me about you."

"Did they tell you about my obsession with Team Valor?" I joked with a smirk on his face. My parents just chuckled at that, and Cypress here got surprised by this, but shrugs it off. Truth is, despite my love for this team, I never got the opportunity to join them. I barely even left the house by myself. Overprotective parents, but let's get out of this topic.

"You must be very excited about getting your first Pokémon today." Cypress responded.

"Dang right I am. I've been waiting for this day since a very long time." I said.

"There are a few things you must know about Pokémon first," Cypress said, his pointer finger raised as he spoke, "Pokémon are our friends, and we grow alongside them. They grow, and in some cases, evolve and change form, as we battle with them. Your Pokémon will grow to love you as you adventure with them."

"Oh, that's cool! I never knew that before!" Jake shouted excitedly.

"We did." Sonic and I said in unison. We studied Pokemon in school, Cypress. Tell me something I don't know.

"Yes, and there are still many things that we don't know about Pokémon." Cypress added.

"Indeed. There are so many in this world, after all." I said to himself. Like I said before, AT LEAST 802. That's a whole lot!

"Nifty, I want you now to pick a Pokémon that you would like to accompany you on your adventures," Cypress said, "And then Sonic can pick later on. Make a choice from these 21 different breeds. Go ahead now."

I looked at the shelf with 21 different Poke Balls. Luckily, there was a screen on top that showed which Pokémon was in each ball. Since there is 21, it has 3 rows each, and I can scroll for more to see who else I can pick. As I looked at the many different Poke Balls, one of those caught my eye.

One of the balls held a Pokémon called Froakie, a small blue, frog Pokémon with white frubbles around its neck. I smiled as I looked at it.

"I'll take this one." I said, pointing at the said ball.

"So, you want Froakie, that Water type Pokémon?" Cypress asked.

"Yes. I will have that guy." I replied. I grabs the Poke Ball, and hold it high into the air, just like how a trainer would react if they caught a new Pokémon. Yes, my dream is finally gonna come true! I send out my partner immediately after. Froakie looks at me with a lot of curiosity, and I bend my knees to reach its eye level.

"Fro?" My new partner says as he cocks his head. Yes, this Froakie is a male, like most other starters.

"Hello, Froakie! My name is Nifty. I'm your new owner!" I said to the small frog, giving it a smile.

"Fro, Froakie?" He said more confused. Then he realized what I meant and jumps into my arms.

"FROAKIE!" My new Pokemon shouts as it hugs me.

"Aw! So adorable." I complimented as I gently pet it.

"Excellent choice, Nifty!" Cypress said with a smile.

"Your new Pokémon is so cute!" Mom complimented.

"That Pokémon definitely has potential in battle." Dad said.

"I hope our Pokémon become best friends like we are!" Jake exclaimed. I bet we will, I can trust Jake on anything.

"Now it's your turn, Sonic. Go ahead and pick." Cypress suggested. Sonic walked over to the shelf, and scrolled around the many different starters. Sonic ended up wanting to pick a Pokémon called Chespin, which is a small, brown Pokémon with a green 'hat' with a couple spikes on it. Ooh, is he really gonna go "full rival" on me, and pick the starter with the advantage?

"So you would like Chespin, the Grass type Pokémon?" Cypress asked.

"Yes. This is who I decided to go with." Sonic replied. He grabs the ball, and sends out his partner. Just like what I did, he bends down to make eye contact.

"Hello, Chespin! I'm Sonic, and I'm your new trainer!" Sonic said to his new partner.

"Pin, Chespin!" The spiny nut Pokemon shouted as it hopped onto Sonic's right shoulder.

"Good choice, bro. Looks like we'll be definite rivals soon." I said with a smirk. We're definitely gonna battle soon, I just know it.

"Alright, Nifty, Sonic, many challenges await you," Cypress said, "Let me give you one more gift that will help you along the way." He gives Sonic and I some kind of red rectangle. It flips open, revealing more to it. Yep, this is what I believed it was.

"It's a Pokédex," Cypress explained, "It's like an electronic encyclopedia that records the kind of Pokémon you encounter and capture. It will also help me in my research with Pokémon."

"This is amazing." I said dreamily. Why do I keep daydreaming about this? Come on, myself! Get your head out of the clouds!

"Also, if you'd like, you can come back at any time and purchase another Pokémon from my assistant, David." Cypress responded.

"Ooh, that sounds cool." Sonic said.

"Now, what are you waiting for? Go and explore the world of Pokémon!" Cypress exclaimed.

"Yes, Nifty. Go ahead and have fun with your Pokémon." Dad said.

"We need to stay behind and talk to the professor for a minute. We'll meet up with you later." Mom added.

"Yeah, I'll go. But first..." I started. I smirked as he walked over to David.

"I would like to purchase another starter, please." I said.

"Sure thing. Go ahead and pick one you also want." David replied. I ended up also picking Charmander, a fire lizard Pokémon with a little fire in the top of its tail. How can I not pick this guy as well? It was between Froakie and Charmander, I just can't pick only one! Once I picked my 2nd starter, I gave David 25 Robux, the other currency in Roria aside from Pokedollars. I go through the introduction process again, and Charmander decided to sit on my shoulder. Sonic looked a bit surprised by this.

"Heh, looks like Nifty is getting a head start on a full team." He mumbled.

"Ready to go, Sonic?" I asked, putting my friend out of his trance.

"Let's do this, Nifty!" Sonic responded. As both of us were about to leave, we stopped once we heard Jake shout. Classic Jake...

"Hey, guys! Wait up!" He yelled. Sonic and I turned around to face him.

"What's up, Jake?" I asked.

"We have Pokémon now! LET'S BATTLE!" Jake screamed. I got surprised by this, but then I smirked. I shall do the best I can!

"Challenge accepted!" I exclaimed.

* * *

And so, my first Pokémon battle started now. I can't believe this is actually happening!

"I will be the referee. Battle begin!" Sonic shouted.

"My new partner... come on out!" Jake shouted, sending out his Pokémon. Jake's first partner turns out to be Eevee. Where did he get an Eevee though? That wasn't in the starter list! I shrugged it off as I shall start this battle today.

"Alright, Froakie, let's go!" I shouted, sending out his Pokémon. Froakie wasn't in his Poke Ball, he was just next to me. The bubble fog hopped over, looking determined and ready for battle.

"Start out this battle with Bubble!" I commanded. Froakie uses said move, and it gets a direct hit, with Eevee getting a bit wet from the attack. Nice start!

"Don't back down now, Eevee! Use Tail Whip!" Jake yelled. Eevee whips around its tail a bit, lowering Froakie's physical defense. That seems bad.

"Now use Pound!" Nifty shouted. Froakie comes towards Eevee, then its hand glows as it pounds Eevee with its attack.

"Use Tackle!" Jake exclaimed. Eevee tackles Froakie at full force with its head. I ran over to Froakie, who looked like it had trouble getting up.

"Froakie! Are you okay there?" I asked.

"Froakie, Kie!" The bubble fog Pokémon shouted, telling me that he's okay. Oh, thank Arceus.

"Okay then, use Bubble!" I yelled. The line of bubbles hits again, and it looks like Eevee is almost down. Am I really gonna win my first battle?

"Use Tackle!" Jake shouted. Eevee began to run at Froakie...

"Dodge, and then use Pound!" Nifty screamed. Holy crap, I am on a roll! Froakie barely dodges the incoming attack, and then pounds Eevee with his glowing hand. As the smoke cleared from the attack, Eevee lays down with swirls in its eyes.

"Eevee is unable to battle! Froakie is the winner, which means the victory goes to Nifty!" Sonic yelled. I... I won. I WON!

"Alright! We won our first battle!" I shouted. I run up to Froakie and gives my new partner a high five. Jake walks over to Eevee and holds him in his arms. I have to give Jake some credit, though. He did great as well. After all, this was just a battle for fun.

"Thanks, Eevee. You're the best." Jake said softly. Eevee shouts weakly, but happily to see its trainer is not sad. Jake puts Eevee back in its ball. Jake is disappointed that he lost, but felt happy as well.

"Amazing! Our Pokémon are so strong!" Jake complimented.

* * *

Froakie walks back over to me, still on the floor, while Charmander stays laying down on my shoulder.

"That was an amazing battle, Nifty! Here, let me heal our Pokémon for us." Jake said. And he does so for both of us. Such a nice guy.

"Looks like you got things down already, Nifty." Sonic responded to me.

"Thanks. I honestly didn't expect to win, but I guess we did it." I said with a shrug. It's true, I didn't know how things will turn out! My parents came over to me with smiles on their faces.

"Nifty, that was an awesome battle! Your father and I watched you while we were discussing things with the professor." Mom said.

"We are very proud of you in taking this step to become a Pokémon trainer." Dad added.

"Thanks, mom and dad." I replied. I'm glad they are still supporting me in every way possible.

"We want you to know that we will be supporting you as you explore Roria." Dad said.

"You need to be very careful, as you are going to be out on your own for the very first time." Mom warned. No worries, I can do this. This is how all Pokemon trainers are when they adventure for the first time... right?

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." I said with a smile.

"Don't forget to floss!" Mom exclaimed, and then giggled afterwards. Oh my Arceus, are you kidding me?! Can you not do this at this moment?!

"Mom! Stop it!" I shouted angrily. Jake and Sonic just laughed by this, not _at_ me, but because of the reaction. No big surprise.

"Nifty, we want to give you something to take with you as a gift to celebrate this momentous occasion." Dad said. And he gives me a brick with a bronze color, with a line over it to shape it into a necklace. I wrap it around my neck. It fits me like a glove.

"I made it into a necklace just this morning," Dad replied, "When you look at it, remember your family who loves you. Don't forget to keep it safe."

"We're headed back to the house. If you need anything, that's where you can find us!" Mom responded.

"Alrighty then." I said. They left the lab and headed back to my house.

"Wow, that was really cool of your parents." Jake said to me.

"Indeed, Jake. They really are the best." I replied.

"Yeah, despite being busy almost all the time, your parents are always there for you." Sonic said.

"Oh, by the way, I have something for you and Sonic. They're for catching wild Pokémon!" Jake responded. He gave both of us 5 empty Poke Balls each. I still don't know where he got them! I guess he's always out more than I am, not that I'm jealous though.

"It works best if you weaken the Pokémon before throwing a Poke Ball at it." Jake explained. Yeah, I know how a Poke Ball works, Jake.

"Thanks for the gift, Jake." I thanked. I'd still give him credit though. There's no one else who could replace _him._

"You did really great as well." Sonic complimented.

"Well, I need to gather a few things before I set off on my adventure. You two should go start training your Pokémon on Route 1!" Jake suggested.

"That was my first suggestion. You're awesome, Jake." I said.

"Past Route 1 is Chesma Town. That'll be a good place for us to meet up." Jake responded.

"We'll see you there, Jake." Sonic said.

"Alright, I'll see you guys later!" Jake exclaimed as he waved. He then walked back to his home to get a few things. I turn over to my other friend.

"Let's start our adventure, Sonic." I said with my usual smirk.

"Let's go, Nifty." Sonic replied. And so, we headed to Route 1 to start training our new Pokémon. And so, our adventure has just begun. I can't wait to do some more in Roria!

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! Don't be afraid to leave a review and I hope you enjoy it! Before I go, here is what Sonic's final team is from what he's been talking about to me.**

 **Sonic's final team:**

 **Chesnaught**

 **Charizard**

 **Primarina**

 **Sandslash (Alola form)**

 **Togekiss**

 **Lycanroc (Dusk form)**


	2. Captured Parents: We Must Save!

**Wazzup dudes! I am back with another chapter of my PBB story! Note this is gonna be a long one, probably my longest fanfic ever. So, without further ado, let's get right into it! :D**

* * *

-Nifty's POV-

Well, I guess it's time. My adventure is about to truly begin. I send out both of my Pokémon to walk with me. Charmander decided to sit on my shoulder like before, and Froakie wanted to walk beside me.

I see Sonic as well. His own partner, Chespin, also decided to walk with him. We looked at the entrance to Route 1. Man, how things change in this world. When I used to be inside almost all the time, now here I am, about to explore the region.

As Sonic and I walked, someone stopped us.

"Good luck out here! If your Pokémon ever need healing, come talk to me." The guy said. He was sitting on the side of a small bridge, wearing a green shirt and black pants.

"Uh... thanks?" I responded, not sure how to respond. I shrugged it off, and went into Route 1.

* * *

The sun glistens on my tan skin. This skin has been passed down from my family for generations. Sonic also has tan skin, and even Jake does. If I make any more friends, will they also have the same skin color as me? I guess I'll never know.

There was a patch of tall grass. From all that I've heard, this is where wild Pokémon can be found. Apparently, none could be found as we continued walking. Suddenly, we were stopped again. A guy with a green shirt and hat walked over to me.

"Bugs are the most interesting Pokémon!" He shouted. Well, if I had to talk back to him, SOME bugs types are interesting I guess.

"We'll see about that." Was my only answer. Sonic stepped aside as my next battle begins.

* * *

"Wurmple, go!" The Bug catcher shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. He does realize I have possession of a Fire type... right?

"Alright, Charmander, let's do this!" I yelled. Charmander jumpers off my shoulder and onto the battlefield.

"Char, char!" My partner exclaimed. Clearly he is ready for a battle.

"Use Ember!" I shouted. A small flame lands a direct hit, but it doesn't do a one hit KO. Ha! This is gonna be easy.

"Use Tackle!" My opponent yelled. One tackle for a direct hit. That barely did anything though. Yeah, good luck trying to defeat me.

"Charmander, end this with Scratch!" I screamed. The flame hits again, and Wurmple is down. This guy has two Pokémon on his team. And what was his 2nd Pokémon he sent out? Another Wurmple! Dude! Have your ever heard of variety?

"Ember." I commanded. The same move hits again, and Wurmple is down due to a critical hit.

"Okay, so maybe bugs aren't the best Pokémon for battling..." My opponent confessed. He's both right and wrong at the same time. We got good bug types like Pinsir and Mega Beedrill, some bugs I learned in school.

"Eh, you'll need to try more." I said. I at least gave him some advice, but he seems to have taken it personally. Sorry dude. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Luckily, he loses his glare and replaces it with a smile. I guess he's forgiven me... or did he?

* * *

Still walking along. Man, it's a really nice day out today!

"That was a good battle, Nifty! Though pretty easy as well..." Sonic complimented.

"Pin, Chespin." His partner said, agreeing with him.

"You can do the next trainer battle. After all, you're on this adventure with me." I said to my friend. How could I not? We're best friends, so it should be pretty obvious that he must get some shine in the battlefield.

As we kept moving on, we saw another trainer. This time, it was a male camper. And plus, he first saw Sonic, so he is the one that's gonna battle this guy.

"I met my Pokémon on this route." The camper said. Really? That was it? I guess I have no excuse for right and wrong.

"I met mine back in Mitis Town." Sonic responded. Meanwhile, I decided to squeeze behind them since there was a small spot to fit behind the camper. I sneakily made my way past him. Man, wait till Sonic reacts to this! Of course I must watch the battle. I'd give him some credit.

* * *

"Zigzagoon, go!" Sonic's opponent shouted, sending out his only Pokémon. Seriously, I checked on my Pokédex. Why not catch some more? That would help out, would it not?

"Go Chespin!" Sonic yelled, as the spiny nut Pokémon ran over to face his opponent.

"Use Vine Whip!" Sonic commanded. Two vines appeared our of Chespin's shoulders, and they whip Zigzagoon a couple times. Decent damage, not bad.

"Tackle!" The camper shouted.

"Counter with yours as well!" Sonic yelled. Both attacks to some collision damage. Ooh, this is gonna get interesting.

"Use Vine Whip and launch yourself into the air!" Sonic screamed. Chespin does that before Zigzagooon can attack, and the Normal type looks around, confused on where his opponent went.

"Finish this with Tackle!" Sonic yelled. Out of the air, Chespin does critical damage, and Zigzagoon lays with swirls in its eyes. Impressive if I do say so myself.

"Maybe I should catch more Pokémon..." The camper admitted. Dang right you should. Don't get cocky thinking one Pokémon would defeat the Elite Four. It _is_ possible... for certain Pokémon, that is. Zigzagoon isn't one of them.

* * *

"Phew! Great, work, Chespin." Sonic said, congratulating his pal.

"Ches, Chespin, pin!" The spiny nut shouted excitedly.

"Great work, Sonic. You did great." I said to him. Sonic smiled back at me.

"Yeah, it was pretty easy like you said before." Sonic responded.

"It'll get harder from here, trust me on that." I warned. Moving on! There is one more trainer, a female picnicker this time. Allow me to take the initiative.

"I just love Pokémon! They're so cute!" The girl exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'd have to agree with you on that." I said to her. Yeah, this is a thing now. Don't get me wrong, some Pokémon are cute. I'm just in a happy mood right now. New adventure, new places. Let's do this thang!

* * *

"Come on out, my beauty!" She shouted, and sent out a Bunnelby. Yeah, that's a cute Pokémon. I see what she meant now...

"Alright, Charmander, show em what you got!" I yelled. Charmander jumps into the field, determined to do this. I guess my Pokémon trust me already. But that's just the starters...

"Use Ember!" I commanded. The small flame move hits, direct hit. Wow, I am rocking this right now!

"Gain speed with Agility!" The girl yelled. Bunnelby begins to run around Charmander at very fast speed. Ooh, I don't think so!

"Stop the running with Growl!" I shouted. Charmander growls loudly, making Bunnelby stop to cover its big ears.

"Now, use Ember one more time!" I yelled. The same move lands, and Bunnelby is down. The picnicker has two Pokémon, just like the last trainer I faced.

"Go, Pidgey!" The girl yelled, sending out her last Pokémon.

"Alright, Charmander. That's enough battling for now." I said to the fire lizard. Charmander nods in agreement, and hops back onto my shoulder. I command Froakie to get ready for battle, and it's definitely ready to do this.

"Use Bubble!" I shout. The water move lands. Dang, direct hit. Birds do hate getting wet.

"Show him who's boss with Tackle!" My opponent yelled. As Pidgey flies over to attack my Pokémon, I begin to think. I must do a huge thing like Sonic did. Yes, that'll be perfect!

"Froakie! Use your frubbles to stop Pidgey in its tracks!" I command. Froakie nods in agreement, and then grabs a tiny cloud of the frubbles on its neck and throws them in front of Pidgey as the bird keeps running. The bird gets stuck in the frubbles, and it struggles to get out.

"Very good! Now, finish this with Bubble!" I screamed. Once again, the bubbled beam takes a direct hit, and Pidgey goes down.

"I need to train my Pokémon more." The girl admitted. No duh. I think we're done here.

* * *

"Whoop whoop! That was pretty cool!" I shouted. My two Pokémon jump with me in happiness.

"Not bad, Nifty. We're both naturals at this, I must agree." Sonic said.

"Indeed. Now, what do you say we make our way to Chesma Town? Jake said he will meet us there." I suggested. Sonic nodded, and we all made our way to the tunnel entrance. Before we could go in, though...

"NIFTY! SONIC!" Someone shouted. It turned out to be Jake. What the heck? I though he said that he'll meet us at Chesma Town!

"I got here as fast as I could?" Jake added. Yeah, you need some rest, dude. You look like you're gonna pass out from exhaustion.

"Jake? What's wrong?" I asked, trying to sound worried. I have no idea what is happening.

"Something terrible has happened. I need you and Sonic to come back to town with me." Jake explained. But we just got here! But this seems important if Jake came all the way here for us.

"Do you know exactly what happened?" I asked. Jake shook his head.

"I don't have time to explain. Let's go!" Jake exclaimed. And so, all of us ran back to Mitis Town.

"Fro?" My Froakie asked, why we were running back. I looked at my partner with a fake smile on my face.

"It'll be okay. Something's just happening is all." I told him. Froakie nodded and Charmander looked at me feeling guilty. Nothing is his fault, but I don't blame them since they feel for me.

* * *

When all of us ran back to my house, I find my grandparents, Jake's parents, and Professor Cypress in front of the house.

"Nifty... Sonic... I'm glad to see both of you are safe." Cypress said solemnly. There hasn't been a death, has it? I will slap myself if it does, especially if it's my family. Kidding, just kidding. That sounds stupid. Still, I hope there is no death.

"Forgive me for the outburst, but... WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!" I screamed. Anger is in my voice simply because I want to know what's happening.

"I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this, Nifty... but your parents were abducted from their home in the short time you have been gone." Cypress confessed. Are you kidding me?! I just left for my adventure, and my parents were already _kidnapped?!_ Oh yeah! What a wonderful day this is.

I looked down at the ground, I am obviously sad about this. I felt angry at the same time by this.

"Oh no... do you know who got them?" I asked. I wanted some hints as to who has them and why.

"Not much is known yet, but it is suspected they were taken by a group of people known as Team Eclipse." Cypress explained. Team Eclipse? I never even heard of them. No wonder my parents wouldn't let me out much often.

"You see, Team Eclipse is an organization of people who have a unique perspective on people and Pokémon." Cypress added. By how much uniqueness? I guess I'll never know unless I dig deeper into their own secrets.

"Do you know why that is?" I asked.

"They believe that people and Pokémon are not at harmony with one another, and they have interesting ideas for how to solve this problem. They are also dangerous and not to be trifled with." Cypress said. Yeah, not if have anything to do about it. I will battle them if I have to!

"They seem to do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals." Cypress added. Are you done yet?

"What would they want with my parents though? Seems like a bunch of bologna if you ask me." I asked while crossing my arms.

"I do not know what they want with your parents, but I suspect it has something to do with their skills as archeologists." Cypress replied.

"Ah, I see." I said.

"Your parents are familiar with Pokémon of legend on Roria." Cypress responded. Yeah, they have told me about every single legendary Pokémon ever. That's why I know so much about Pokémon.

"Whatever Team Eclipse is after, I'm sure they are getting very close to achieving it." Cypress warned. Well, I guess we better go quick than what we normally do. If it means saving my parents, I'm in.

"Now tell me, Nifty, did you're parents say anything about their work when you saw them this morning?" Cypress asked. Wait a second, they did! That Bronze Brick necklace. They gave it to me in order to remember them while on my adventure.

"Yes, they did actually. They gave me this thing." I said, showing Cypress my necklace. The professor puts his hand under his chin as he thinks a little bit. After a few more seconds, he looks at me and nods.

"Oh, so your parents gave you that necklace earlier. That's interesting." Cypress responded.

"Yes they did." I repeated.

"Anyway, It's not safe for you here now. Nifty, I want you to go stay with a friend of mine in a Chesma Town," Cypress explained, "At least until we figure out what's happened here. You can't miss her house, it has a blue roof."

"Why should I stay with her though?" I asked. How should I know to trust her? Does this friend even know me? Ugh, what an idiot, Cypress. You're wanting me to stay with a stranger. YOU DO REALIZE I AM A SMART KID, RIGHT?!

"Be careful now, Nifty and Sonic. And don't go looking for trouble." Cypress warned. Dude, you just avoided my question. Whatever, now I gotta save my parents. And then, everyone excluding Sonic and our Pokémon left to do something.

"Kie? Froakie?" The bubble frog whined, wondering if I'm okay.

"It's okay, Froakie. My parents were just kidnapped is all." I said while petting him.

"Oh, man. That must be terrible. Your parents were kidnapped..." Sonic said with a guilty look on his face.

"Nothing is your fault, Sonic. We will find them, don't worry." I responded to my friend.

"What do you say we make our way to Chesma Town? After all, Cypress told you to stay with a friend of his." Sonic suggested.

"I don't know if I'd trust that statement." I said angrily. But I shrugged it off as we made our way to the next town.

* * *

After a minute of walking, we finally made it. Chesma Town. On the bright side, this town looks pretty peaceful.

"Hey! Over here!" A voice shouted. I look in front of me to see a woman with the same skin color, black hair, and a plaid shirt with black and pink. She also wore jeans with brown shoes. Is this the friend Cypress was telling me about? Yeah, I don't trust her already.

"You must be Nifty. Professor Cypress told me about you." The girl said.

"Yeah, hello... miss." I said hesitantly.

"My name is Linda. Anyway, Cypress said he wants me to keep an eye on you while they figure out what happened to your parents." The girl continued.

"I guess you already know then." I responded. Yeah, I feel bad vibes. I just know it.

"Well, my house is over here. Follow me." Linda insisted. And she walks over to her house. Sonic looked at me and told me to go along. Welp, better safe than sorry. I followed this mysterious girl and walked over to her house.

We went inside, and her house is pretty small.

"So your parents were taken by Team Eclipse?" Linda asked.

"Yep." I replied.

"Gosh, that must be awful. I bet you must miss them?" Linda said.

"Uh, yeah. Of course I do." I responded.

"Do you have anything to remember them by?" Linda asked. Okay, this is getting really sketchy.

"This necklace." I said bluntly.

"Do you mind if I see it?" Linda asked with a smile.

"Yeah, no." I exclaimed. I had enough, this girl is crazy. I just know it.

"Aw, come on! Just for a second?" Linda said.

"Nope. Keep your hands off." I commanded.

"Then... _Then..._ I'LL TAKE IT FROM YOU!" Linda screamed. She grabbed my necklace and ran out the door. Great, just great. I knew she was crazy!

"HEY! Come back here!" I yelled. I was not pleased at the slightest. When I exited the small house, this Linda lady was not here anymore. Perfect. I saw Jake running to me.

"Hey, there you are, Nifty. Who was that person that just took off running out of here?" Jake asked. I take a deep breath before I explain everything.

"That woman's name is Linda, the 'friend' Cypress told me to come to. She grabbed my necklace and ran off, not even caring." I said to him. Jake got surprised by that.

"She took the necklace that your parents gave you?! That was the last thing your parents gave you before they disappeared!" Jake yelled.

"Exactly! That woman is crazy!" I exclaimed.

"We have to go after her and get that back!" Jake suggested. Of course we have to! My parents told me to keep it safe, and I haven't let them down once! I AM NOT GONNA START TODAY!

"I saw her running into the woods just outside of town." Jake responded. Perfect, this is where we'll find her.

"Good eyes, Jake. We'll find that woman in no time." I said, pumping my fist.

"Quick, follow me and I'll lead you there." Jake said. And so, Jake takes off to the woods over there, and I follow him.

"Nifty! Wait for me!" Sonic shouted as he and Chespin started to run after me.

* * *

Gale Forest. This place isn't _big_ big, but you could still get lost in it. Not me though, I have good hearing and remembering. I saw Jake standing there. Why was he just standing here though?

"She's in here somewhere. I'll wait right here so she doesn't get away. You go look for her and get your necklace back." Jake suggested. Great plan, Jake! What a nice guy.

"Thanks, Jake. You da best." I said with a nod. I look at Sonic and give him a thumbs up.

"Let's go get your necklace back, Nifty." Sonic said. Indeed, we shall do this! As both of us begin to walk through a patch of tall grass. Something ran up in front of me.

"Nido!" What a surprise! It's a male Nidoran. I bet this guy could be useful on my team.

"Charmander, let's do this!" I shouted. Looks like my starter is already ready for a battle. Perfect timing!

"Start off with Ember!" I commanded. The flame hits Nidoran, doing decent damage. I swear to Arceus if the next hit does a critical...

Anyway, Nidoran uses Peck, which does very little. He tiny horn on its head explains it all.

"Now, use Scratch!" I yelled. Charmander shows its sharp claws, and than he runs over to Nidoran and scratches the guy a couple times. The Nidoran uses Leer, intimidating Charmander a little bit. But now... this is my chance!

"Go Poke Ball!" I screamed, throwing the ball at full force. It hits Nidoran right in the face, as the poison pin Pokémon gets sucked into the ball. Said ball lands on the ground, just sitting there.

One...

Two...

Three...

 _Click!_

Alright! I've done it! I caught my first Pokémon! I run up to the ball with a smile on my face.

"Alright! I just caught a Nidoran!" I yelled, holding the ball high into the air. My other Pokémon jump in the air and cheer with me.

"Come on out, my new friend!" I exclaimed, throwing the ball into the air.

"Ni, ni." Nidoran says. It runs over to me.

"Get ready, cause we have an adventure to go on. Many stuff will happen!" I shout as I make eye contact with it. Nidoran looks at me confused, but then smiles.

"Nido!" It yells. Sonic runs up to me.

"Good job, Nifty! Now it'll be my turn to catch another Pokémon as well." Sonic said to me.

"Just find you you like, and you might find it." I suggested. Sonic nods, and we move on from here.

* * *

Many time has passed, I raised my Pokémon up to level 10. I'm definitely ready for this lady. I'm coming for that necklace! In addition, Sonic does the same thing, though only up to level 8 for now. I walk past the tall grass, all 3 of my partners out, and another big catcher spots me.

"Let's see if you can get past my defenses!" He shouted.

"Okay then." I said bluntly.

* * *

And here we go, another battle with a bug trainer. And what's his first Pokémon? Kakuna. Welp... this'll be easy.

"Charmander, show em what's up!" I shouted. Not to worry, though, as I'll let my other Pokémon shine as well.

"Okay, Ember!" I commanded. Flame flame attack. One hit KO! Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about! And this guy's next Pokémon turns out to be Metapod.

"Charmander, return. Nidoran, your turn!" I yelled. Charmander is once again on my shoulder, and Nidoran steps into the battle.

"Use Peck!" I shouted. Nidoran's horn grows a bit larger, and then it runs towards Metapod. Super effective! Still not much though.

"Use Harden!" My opponent yelled. Really? He was right about the defenses. He can't keep doing it forever. I shout for Nidoran to use Peck 2 more times and Metapod keeps raising its defense, until...

"Use it again!" I screamed. That last one does a critical. Metapod faints, and so I won the battle. Yeah, I could've used Charmander again, but I needed my others to have a chance.

"Maybe I should attack more." The Bug trainer admitted. Yeah, you think? Anyways... that's enough of that.

* * *

Time to move on with life. In the forest, there was a huge tunnel that leads to more parts of the forest. No surprise, there's a trainer here, too.

"I got this one, Nifty." Sonic responded. I nodded and stepped aside. The trainer notices my friend walking past.

"My Nidoran and I are looking for a good challenge. Uh oh! Grass types have a disadvantage against Poison types! I hope Sonic can do this.

* * *

The Nidoran that the other guy sent out is also male. Am I sure I'm not copying him? No, not possible.

"Let's do this, Chespin!" Sonic yelled.

"Pin, Chespin!" The Grass type exclaimed. It then looked at Nidoran pretty nervously. Even Chespin knows this is a bad idea. Come on, Sonic! You can do it!

"Start off with Tackle!" Sonic commanded. Decent damage from the collision, not bad.

"Nidoran, use Peck!" The camper yelled. The horn hits the grass Pokémon, and it looks pretty hurt from it.

"Vine Whip!" Sonic exclaimed. The two vines come out again, it hits Nidoran a couple times, and then the Poison Pin Pokemon grabs one of the vines and traps Chespin from them.

"Leer!" The opponent yelled.

"Now Peck!" The move lands, and it does a critical! Oh my Arceus, they're so dead. Chespin lays on the floor, not fainted, but struggling to get up.

"Chespin! Hang in there!" Sonic yelled.

"Finish this with Peck!" The guy shouted. But before the move can land...

 _SMACK!_

Nidoran got hit by a sudden rock! Both of us look over to see what caused this.

"Ruff!" The Pokémon with that said move turned out to be Rockruff. That's surprising! Rockruff cannot be found here.

"Woah! It came to help us!" Sonic exclaimed. The Rockruff begins to start another Rock Throw attack. Immediately, Sonic had an idea.

"Chespin! Use Vine Whip on the rock!" Sonic shouted. Chespin nodded, and did said thing. The rock comes at Nidoran at immense speed, and when it lands, Nidoran fainted.

"We'll do better next time." The camper said as he returned his Pokémon. But the Rockruff came as support, so... would that be considered cheating? Eh.

* * *

The Rockruff ran over to Sonic and started jumping on his leg continuously.

"Ruff ruff ruff!" It barked.

"Why's it so excited?" Sonic asked with a chuckle.

"Just wait a second." I replied. The Rockruff begins to wander around Sonic, sniffing for something. It then paws his alien bag. Sonic sets the bag down, and brings out some Poke Beans.

"Want one?" He asked. Rockruff takes it and scarfs it down.

"I guess Rockruff was hungry, so it was looking for food," I explained to my friend, "then it saw you when you had food in your possession, and when it saw you in danger, it had to help out."

"Really? Well then... would you like to be my partner?" Sonic asked the tiny dog. It barks and jumps up and down again.

"Okay then! Poke Ball, go!" Sonic shouted, throwing the ball. Rockruff bonks its head onto it, like it already knows it wants to be with him. The ball lands on the ground again..

One...

Two...

Three...

 _Click!_

It didn't even try to get out. Sonic grabbed the back and held it high into the air.

"Alright! I just caught a Rockruff!" Sonic exclaimed, and his Chespin jumps with him.

"Great job, Sonic! Now that's what I call teamwork." I said with a grin.

"Thanks, Nifty. Now how's about we go get your necklace back?" Sonic suggested.

"Indeed. Let's make it quick before she gets away!" I yelled. And so, we ran into the next are of the forest.

* * *

As we kept on running, we run into another trainer. I got this.

"It's so pleasant to see fellow trainers in the woods." The girl said.

"Yeah, same here." I replied firmly.

* * *

The girl sends out a female Nidoran this time.

"Showtime, Froakie!" I yelled excitedly. And the frog is ready for battle.

"Use Bubble!" I commanded. The line of tiny bubbles hit, and it does half damage.

"Nidoran, use Scratch!" The girl yelled.

"Counter with Quick Attack!" I shouted. As the Nidoran attempts to attack with its sharp claws, Froakie dodges, and then hits with a powerful speedy attack. That was fast.

"That was rather disappointing." The picnicker confessed. True dat.

* * *

Finally we can move on. Just our luck, we find Linda surrounded by the walls of the forest. I got you now, idiot! I begin to hear her mumble.

"Crap, I knew someone would find me. No duh they'd want it back..." She said quietly.

"GOTCHA!" I screamed. I get into a threatening pose as my Pokémon growl at her.

"Well darn, looks like you caught up to me." Linda said.

"You got nowhere to hide, crazy woman." I said rudely. I heard Sonic cringe at my violent words.

"It's my fault for running into this dead end. The bridge was under construction, so going here was my only option." Linda responded.

"Give my necklace back!" I yelled. Linda evilly smiled by this.

"So you want this necklace back, huh?" Linda mocked. I nodded firmly.

"Well, too bad. It belongs to... TEAM ECLIPSE!" Linda yelled. I knew it! I freaking knew it! What did I tell ya?! I ain't that dumb!

"YOU FOOL!" I screamed.

"That's right, kid. I'm a member of Team Eclipse." Linda said to me. You think she doesn't already know that?

"The only way I'd let you have it back is if you defeat me in a Pokémon battle." Linda suggested.

"Challenge accepted." I said bluntly.

"But let's face it. You're just a fresh new trainer. There's no way you can beat me!" Linda shouted, and then evilly laughs. OH, SHE IS ABOUT TO BECOME A DEAD BODY.

...

Welp, I'm going to hell for that.

* * *

Team Eclipse member Linda. Time to defeat her for good.

"Go, Poochyena!" Linda yelled, sending out her first Pokémon.

"Nidoran, let's do this!" I yelled.

"Start off with Double Kick!" I shouted. Nidoran runs up to Poochyena, and kicks it twice. Look at that, it does a one hit KO.

"Grr... Pancham, go!" Linda yelled, sending out her last Pokémon. Oh, she is so dead. I return Nidoran and send out Froakie.

"Froakie, use Bubble!" I commanded. The bubble line lands again, does okay damage.

"Pancham, use Arm Thrust!" Linda shouted. Pancham begins to run...

"Trap Pancham using your frubbles!" I shouted. Froakie shoots parts of its frubbles at the ground, and Pancham gets stuck in them.

"Use Lick!" I yelled. Froakie walks towards Pancham and licks it with its sloppy tongue. Almost down, we got this.

"Pancham, Arm Thrust again!" Linda commanded.

"Counter with Quick Attack!" I screamed. Both attacks made a collision, with smoke appearing in front of us. All of us look in shock to see who could've won.

Both of our Pokémon are still standing. A few seconds later...

Pancham falls to the ground. YES! We did it! IN YOUR FACE, LINDA!

"Beaten by a kid... ugh..." Linda scoffed.

* * *

"You lost, Linda. Give me the necklace back. RIGHT NOW!" I threatened.

"Froakie, Kie!" My partner shouts, agreeing the same thing.

"What?! How could this happen?" Linda screamed as she gently pulled her hair.

"Didn't you hear what I said? GIVE ME THE DANG BRICK!" I screamed.

"Oh, this really isn't good. The boss is gonna be so mad at me." Linda thought. She then gives me the necklace, and places it in my hand.

"Fine, here! Take your necklace back." Linda said. I wrap the brick around my neck, just like before.

"Thanks." I said with an innocent smile on my face.

"Team Eclipse will be back for it, though. We always get what we want." Linda finalized. As she began to walk away, I trip her with my leg. She looks at me with pure hatred in her eyes, and I just give her a smirk. You see kids? This is why you don't trust strangers.

I see Jake walk towards me, along win Sonic with his Pokémon.

"Good job getting your necklace back." Jake responded.

"It took some time to get there, AND some time for some threatening words... but I got through it." I said as I spun the brick around a bit.

"You really know how threatening goes... don't you, Nifty?" Sonic asked. I gave him a small I'd and my Pokémon shout in happiness.

"I wonder why she wanted your necklace so badly." Jake wondered.

"BECAUSE SHE'S AN IDIOT, THAT'S WHY." I said threateningly. I see everyone get a bit scared by that. Sorry, was that too much?

"Sorry, I'm still a bit angry." I responded. Jake sighed in relief.

"So that was the woman the professor wanted you to stay with while they search for your parents?" Jake asked. I nodded in response to that.

"I wonder if the professor knows what kind of person his friend was." Jake replied.

"We may never know." I said with a shrug. Sonic chuckled a bit.

"Anyways, it's very clear that you can't really trust anyone to find your parents for you right now." Jake said.

"I never trusted her in the first place, Jake. I'm not stupid, I knew she was crazy." I exclaimed. Jake gave a little laugh, not in a mean way. But in a way that he agrees with me.

"If Team Eclipse really did take them, you would need a strong team of Pokémon to beat them." Jake suggested.

"I'll need to grind those levels. Make my team a whole lot stronger." I responded.

"A great way to strengthen your Pokémon is to challenge the gym leaders of Roria. There are 8 gym leaders here." Jake said.

"This oughta be easy then..." I thought.

"And who knows? Maybe while traveling, you will learn more information on what might've happened to your parents." Jake replied.

"Yeah, we can do this." I said with a determined look.

"Anyways, there's a gym in the next town over. I suggest we start there. Don't worry, Nifty. We'll find your parents." Jake said.

"I know we will." I responded.

"Now let's go!" Jake exclaimed. Just before we were about to leave, I felt Sonic grab my arm.

"Wait!" He yelled. I turned around to face him.

"Wazzup?" I asked.

"Before we leave... I challenge you to a double battle, Nifty." Sonic replied. I got surprised, then smirked by this.

"Let's do it then." I said.

* * *

Welp, here we go. My first battle against my other best friend.

"I will be the referee. Good luck to both of you!" Jake cheered.

"Chespin, Rockruff, let's show him who's boss!" Sonic yelled. His two Pokémon came in front of him.

"Okay, Froakie, Charmander... let us do this battle!" I shouted. My 2 starters came ready. Here we go.

Then again, I _do_ have an advantage over Sonic since I have 3 Pokémon and he only has two.

"Chespin, Use Tackle on Froakie! Rockruff, use Rock Throw on Charmander!" Sonic shouted. Chespin runs over to Froakie with full speed...

"Frubbles!" I commanded. The frubbles stop Chespin in his tracks as he attempts to get the sticky things off his head. Froakie notices Charmander about to be attacked by the rock, so the frog pushes Charmander out of the way and takes the hit.

"Froakie! Are you okay?" I ask with concern.

"Fro!" My partner yells, telling me it's just fine. Meanwhile, Chespin gets the frubbles off it's spiny head.

"Rockruff, use Tackle on Charmander!" Sonic shouted.

"Counter with Ember!" I yelled. Charmander shoots its flame, it does little damage, but it stops Rockruff from using its move.

"Time for a Plan B." Sonic thought with a smirk. His Pokémon got together as Sonic kept on thinking.

"Rockruff, another Rock Throw!" Sonic yelled. The rocks float up in the air.

"Chespin, Use Vine Whip on the rocks!" Sonic continued. Chespin sends vines, and uses them to throw the rocks at full force.

"Dodge!" I shouted. Both of them barely dodge. Sonic got surprised by this.

"Tackle, Rockruff!" Sonic commanded. The dog begins to run at Froakie. Makes sense since he didn't give a target.

"Stop Rockruff in your tracks with your frubbles!" I shouted. Froakie did just that, making Rockruff stuck in the things.

"Now, use Bubble!" I yelled. The line of bubbles lands, and Rockruff is down. Sonic started to mentally panic.

"Now, Charmander! Finish this battle with Ember!" I screamed. The flame comes towards at high speed. That was faster than last time, holy crap!

"Dodge it, Chespin!" Sonic screamed. But it was too late as the flame hit. Both his Pokémon with the swirly eyes stayed on the ground.

"Chespin and Rockruff are unable to battle! Froakie and Charmander are the winners, which means the victory goes to Nifty!" Jake shouted.

"Good job, my partners!" I cheer. I run over to them and give them a hug. I don't do hugs often. But at a moment like this, I think it's the right time.

"Good job, guys. You deserve a good rest." Sonic said as he returned both of his Pokémon to their balls.

* * *

Sonic walked over to me.

"That was a good battle, Nifty. You're really good at this." Sonic complimented.

"You did good too, Sonic." I said. He did do a great job on this.

"I'll get you next time, though. Should we move on to the next town?" Sonic suggested.

"Yeah, let's go." I said. I look at the Bronze Brick and smile. I bet my parents are watching over me even if they are captured.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **A/N: Oh yeah, there we go XD! Anyway, tell me what you think so far. This is gonna be a LONG story. I hope you have a good day, and I'll see you next time! :D**


	3. Electrifying Battles

**Hello, everyone! I am back! I'm really getting into making this story often, don't you think :D? You see, there are a couple other Brick Bronze fanfictions out there, but none of those stories ever got finished.**

 **Allow me to announce: this story IS going to get finished. Now, how about we start this chapter now?**

 **Remember when I said on my profile that my Splatoon stories will be more popular than my Pokémon stories? Well, that is true. I wok on this story on my iPad, and my other stories are finished on my computer. Now let's start! XD**

* * *

Sonic and I walked back to Chesma Town. We decided to heal our Pokémon before we hit the road again. I felt a bit proud defeating Linda and getting my necklace back.

I walked back to the Center of the building, and I see Nurse Joy back with my Pokémon along with Sonic's.

"Okay, your Pokémon are fully healed now. We hope to see you again!" Joy said as she bows.

"Thank you." I responded. I walk outside to see Sonic there.

"We did have a tough battle. But just wait till next time when we get farther into stuff." Sonic said. I nodded.

"We'll see." I said. I look over the bridge to the next route, and it's no longer closed. Perfect timing. But I remember what Jake said to me: a gym is in the next town over. That's my first stop: to complete that.

"Shall we?" I asked my friend. Sonic nodded, and we walked over to Route 2. Shame that Jake won't walk with us there. He's a busy kid, so I don't blame him.

* * *

This route is very small. All it had was one trainer, and a hill that you'll need a special move in order to get to the top. Rock Climb. Okay, moving on. Sonic moved a little bit ahead of me to battle the trainer ahead.

"You got this, my dude." I said to him.

"Leave it to me." Sonic replied back. And so, the female trainer saw Sonic and walked up to him.

"Someday I hope challenge the Champion of Roria!" She exclaimed.

"Maybe my friend and I will make it there as well." Sonic said. We got a long way, my friend. Still, I wonder how Jake is doing...

* * *

And so, another battle begins. I bet maybe Sonic will use Rockruff in this battle.

"Go, Skitty!" The female shouted, sending out her Pokémon.

"Rockruff! Let's go!" Sonic shouted, sending out his Pokémon. Called it! Alrighty, both Pokémon are ready to this. Come on, Sonic! You got this! Of course he can do it, even though he lost to me, he did pretty well with his strategies.

"Start off with Bite!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff runs up to Skitty and bites it with its sharp teeth.

"Use Scratch!" The girl yelled.

"Counter with Rock Throw!" Sonic commanded. Before a Skitty could even go and attack, Rockruff counters with a good ol Rock Throw. Even if Skitty did get a chance to attack, the scratch wouldn't be very effective.

"Finish with Tackle!" Sonic shouted. And so that one move was enough to take Skitty down.

"I'm light years away from my goal right now." Female trainer said. Not bad, Sonic. You got this in the bag.

* * *

"The next route is up ahead. I believe this will be where the gym is." I explained.

"Alright, let's make our way there then." Sonic replied. We entered the tunnel, which is pretty short once we get to the next route. And here we are: Route 3.

Looks longer, and definitely has some new Pokémon to be caught. To be honest here, my goal ain't to catch them all. That's not gonna happen. But I do wanna discover all of the Pokémon in this world.

Immediately, I was spotted by a male trainer wearing a blue outfit.

"Welcome to Route 3! Oh sorry, did my presence shock you?" The guy asked.

"No, not really." I said. I saw him coming, what else would I expect?

* * *

Welp, here we go again. Let's see how things go from here.

"Electrike, go!" The blue trainer shouted, sending out his only Pokémon. Ooh, an Electric type! I guess I better not use Froakie here. I do know my types very well.

"Go, Nidoran!" I shouted, sending my Poison type out. Bring it on, dude.

"Use Double Kick!" I yelled. Nidoran runs up to Electrike and kicks it twice with its back legs. Almost half damage, wow! Is it just me or do I know I'm getting better? Eh, I ain't no bragger.

I'll still need a lot of practice if I have to save my parents from Team Eclipse.

"Use Tackle!" The blue guy shouted.

"Counter with Peck!" I commanded. Nidoran counters the tackle with its long horn.

"Now, use Double Kick one more time!" I yelled. One more of that, and he's already down.

"Did I win?" The trainer asked. What an idiot! You DO realize you saw your Pokémon faint, right? RIGHT?! Ok, let me calm down. I'm still pretty upset about my parents abduction.

"Let's just say you need some work." I replied calmly. See? We're cool here, right?

"Oh, well sorta... I lost..." The blue person continued. Yeah, you need some work. Train your Pokémon to get stronger, don't worry.

* * *

The next town is up ahead. The more we keep walking, the faster we'll get there. Look at that, I can see the next place just up ahead! We're definitely making some progress so far. I got a long way.

Oh no... another trainer came up to me. Looks like we got another test before we can make it there. This next trainer I encountered was a girl with brown hair and pretty clothing.

"My Pokémon are strong against Water and Flying types. Hope you don't plan on using either of those." She said.

"Thanks for the heads up." I said with a bored look on her face. She literally gave me a strategy: not to use a Water or Flying type.

* * *

Last battle on this route, let's go.

"Come on out, Mareep!" The female enthusiast yelled, sending out her first Pokémon. Not bad for a first I must say.

"Go, Charmander!" I shouted, sending out my Pokémon. Let's do this, my partner! Shoe everyone in Roria our true strength!

"Ember!" I commanded. Flame hit, decent damage. Oh yeah, I got this in the bag.

"Use Tackle!" The girl shouted.

"Smokescreen!" I yelled. Charmander shoots a cloud of smoke from its mouth as Mareep comes running towards him. Perfect. Charmander dodges the attack easily since Mareep couldn't see where the opponent was.

"Use Ember one more time!" I shouted. And so, another small flame and Mareep is down.

"Electrike, go!" The girl shouted, sending out her last Pokémon. Heh, time to switch things up a bit.

"Charmander, come back." I said. Charmander nods and stands next to me, not sitting on my shoulder this time.

"Froakie, go get em!" I shouted.

"Fro?!" My partner shouted in a scared tone.

"Trust me on this, okay? We can do this." I responded. Froakie gains his confidence and steps into the field.

"Use Bubble!" I yelled. Half damage from the attack! Yeah boy!

"Use Thunder Wave!" The brown hair female shouted.

"Dodge it, and then use Lick!" I commanded. Froakie dodges the incoming status attack I should say, and then proceeds to attack with his tongue.

"Now use Pound!" I screamed. That one attack from Froakie's glowing hand, and Electrike is down. Told ya I got this.

"I never said my Pokémon were invincible." The female said in a disappointed way. No, you never said anything like that. You just told me not to use a Water type, and I ignored you... kinda.

"Whatever..." I said with a shrug.

* * *

"Come on, Nifty! He next town awaits us!" Sonic shouted excitedly.

"Let's make our way there then." I said with a smirk. We make it up a few stairs, and a bunch of tall grass. Luckily, no wild Pokémon attacked us. And now, we made it to the next place in Roria: Silvent City.

This place looks pretty interesting, then again have I been anywhere else in Roria throughout my life.

I looked around, I saw a couple houses along with a Pokémon Center and the first gym. I smirked as I looked at the gym. This is it, where I'll get my first badge. Once I get much stronger, I will go get Team Eclipse and save my parents and Roria within!

Still... could my Team Valor dream come true?

* * *

Lots of time has passed, we healed our Pokémon and trained them a lot for this gym. All my Pokémon are level 15. That's pretty close to evolving, for all three of them! Sonic caught up with me as his Pokémon are also level 15. I wonder what his next Pokémon will be someday.

Yep, we got this. My partners are ready for this. I stood outside the gym, all my Pokémon standing beside me. Clearly, they were ready as well.

"Are you ready?" I asked them.

"Fro!" Froakie shouted in excitement. I have no idea what gym type this is, but I guess I'm about to find out.

"Char, char!" Charmander yelled as he ran over to me and lays on my shoulder again. Gosh dang it, he likes it there.

"Nido!" Nidoran shouted.

"Alright. To the gym!" I yelled with my fist in the air.

"Good luck, Nifty." Sonic said.

"I will do my best." I responded. And so, I entered the gym and my Pokémon followed me.

* * *

HOLY FREAKING CRAP, THIS GYM IS INSANE ON THE INSIDE! What do I mean? Well, let me tell you. It's a freaking club, on the first floor, I can see a lot of people dancing. There were colourful flashing lights everywhere, and where I am standing right now is some kind of pathway... to where the gym leader is.

Welp here goes nothing! I continued walking, ready for a challenge.

"Hey, slow down there eager McBidoof." A guy said. What the heck did you just call me? Anyway, I turned over to see a man with a black suit with some yellow and a top hat. He also had a yellow tie, along with glasses. He wore gray pants, and I believed this is the gym instructor here.

"What is it?" I asked, not too fond of his little joke.

"This must be your first Pokémon Gym visit." The gym instructor said.

"Yeah, it is." I replied.

"Let me just give you the lowdown real quickly." The guy said.

"Explain." I said, getting interested in this.

"Every Pokémon Gym focuses on a specific type of Pokémon in battle," The instructor explained, "I don't usually give away this kind of information, but this gym's specialty is Electric type Pokémon."

" _And I was just facing Electric types earlier._ " I thought.

"Now, this gym is not only a test of a trainer's strength, but your dance moves as well." The instructor continued. Oh, dancing? This'll be a piece of cake! I did a lot of dancing in my sophomore and junior year of high school in end of school dances.

I got no girls though, so don't ask.

"You see those red squares up ahead?" The guy asked.

"Yes I do." I replied as I looked at them ahead of me.

"They are dance tiles. Stepping on them will turn green." The yellow dude said

"Okay, that's good to know." I complimented.

"Stepping on all of the red ones will open up the way ahead so you can move forward," The instructor explained, "But be careful. Stepping on a tile you've already turned green will reset the whole dance pad. Only after turning them all green will you be able to step on them again without them resetting."

"Alrighty then." I said as I placed my hands on my hips.

"You'll also need to fight a few of the gym's official trainers to get to the Gym Leader." The gym instructor added.

"I got this. Nothing my team and I can't handle." I bragged.

"Good luck. And if you have any questions, you can come back and talk to me." The instructor finished. Okay, now I'm ready. Let's do this thang!

I see a total of of red squares up ahead. This'll be my chance. But great! I encounter the first gym trainer. Okay, if that's how you want to do it.

"I'm gonna need to see some skills before I let you through. Let's battle!" The guy with a green mohock exclaimed.

"Okay then." I replied.

* * *

"Go Electrike!" The bouncer yelled, sending out his Pokémon. Yep, looks like Electric types are the theme alright.

"Charmander, let's do it!" I shouted.

"Char!" The fire lizard exclaimed, ready for this battle.

"Ember!" I commanded. Direct hit, nice! Fire is the perfect way to start with this.

"Use Tackle!" The green mohock dude shouted.

"Counter with Smokescreen!" I yelled. Luckily, Charmander shoots the smoke cloud at the right time before Electrike can attack.

"Use Ember one more time!" I exclaimed. And so, another flame that hit, and Electrike is down.

"Looks like you're okay to go through." The bouncer said. That was enough proof, I thank you for that, good sir.

* * *

I look ahead of me to see the squares.

"Let's see how my dancing goes through with this." I whispered. And so, I walk along the bottom three across, then the middle three, and then the top three. That was easy. The path opened up already. But before I can do the last bunch of these dancing squares, I encounter another bouncer, this time, with a red mohock.

"Can you move on the dance floor?" He shouted excitedly.

"I did a lot of dancing for a long time." I said.

"Let's see what moves you have in a battle first!" The guy exclaimed.

"Whatever you say, homie." I responded. Okay, maybe that was a bit too cliche...

* * *

"Go, Electrike!" The red mohock guy shouted. Another Electrike?! You guys need more variety...

"Nidoran, you got this!" I shouted. Looks like my signature Poison type is ready to do this. Of course he is. My Pokémon are starting to trust me.

"Double Kick!" I yelled. Nidoran kicks Electrike twice and it does okay damage.

"Use Thunder Wave!" The bouncer commanded. Electrike shoots out a ring if lightning, making Nidoran paralyzed. Oh no!

"Hang on there, Nidoran!" I exclaimed. Nidoran looks up to my opponent in a determined way. That's the spirit!

"Now, use Double Kick one more time!" I shouted. And so, Nidoran Luckily manages the move, and Electrike goes down.

"You're up, Mareep!" The guy yelled. See? This is what I mean. Thank you for having a different Pokémon at least.

"Nidoran, return." I said as I return my Nidoran to its ball.

"Go Froakie!" I shouted, and my first partner gets ready and poses. We're gonna finish this!

"Bubble!" I exclaimed. Not bad, it did half damage.

"Use Tackle!" The red guy shouted.

"Counter with Lick!" I commanded. And so, Froakie stops Mareep's attack with its tongue again.

"Now finish this with Quick Attack!" I screamed. Yes, the collision does a critical hit! That was lucky. I saw my opponent's Pokémon faint.

"Those were some interesting moves. I'll have to take note of them." The red mohock guy complimented.

"Thanks." I said. I like a guy who compliments my moves. I really do.

* * *

Welp, this time, there is a total of 12 squares. The bottom row has 2, the 2 middle ones have 4 rows, and the top has 2 again. How will I do this? It's easy if you think about it. I start off on the left square on the bottom row, and then I do this pattern:

Up, left, up, right, up, right, down, right, down, left, down. Easy. I walk over and see the Gym Leader, who is the DJ of this club. He had tan-ish hair, and some headphones as well. He has a black shirt with white sleeves, and also blue pants and gray shoes.

I walk over to him, ready obtain that badge.

"Hello. I'm Chad, the creator and leader of this fine establishment." The DJ greeted.

"Wazzup, dude!" I exclaimed.

"I see you have no badges yet. That makes this your first battle for a Gym Badge." Chad responded.

"Yep, this is my first time." I said.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you." Chad warned.

"I don't expect any easy crap." I said with a smirk on my face.

"My club has a reputation that I like to keep by making my badges difficult to earn," Chad explained, "Now get ready for the drop!"

"Challenge accepted!" I shouted. I heard someone run up to me, and I turned around to see Sonic.

"Phew... I'm here." He said, almost out of breath.

"Hey, Sonic. What's up?" I asked.

"I want to see how the battle goes. I had to fight those trainers before I got here, so I am pretty much ready for the Leader after you're done." Sonic replied. Wait, I fought those trainers a few minutes ago! How did they heal their Pokémon so fast?! Whatever, I guess I'll let it go for now.

"It's fine for you to watch. Wish me luck, aight?" I responded. Sonic nodded.

* * *

We make our way to a much bigger battlefield. Sonic sits on the bleachers with both his Chespin and Rockruff watching as well. I am on the field, on the other side of the Gym Leader. Over to my left, I see the same gym instructor from before.

"Now, the battle between the challenger, Nifty Weaka from Mitis Town, and Chad, the Gym Leader of Silvent City, will now begin!" The yellow guy explained, "Each trainer will use 2 Pokémon each, and the battle will be over when one side of a trainer's Pokémon are unable to continue! Only the challenger will be allowed to substitute Pokémon. Ready? BATTLE BEGIN!"

"Go, Shinx!" Chad shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Not bad for a first. Let's see how things turn out here.

"Charmander, you're up!" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon. I cannot use all 3 since that would be against the rules, so let's just see how things turn out from here.

"Good luck, Nifty! You can do this!" Sonic called out. I looked over to my friend and nodded.

"Start with Ember!" I exclaimed.

"Counter with Charge Beam!" Chad yelled. Shinx disintegrates the flame with its devastating beam. Woah! That's impressive!

"Oh my Arceus!" I screamed.

"I told you I'm not gonna go easy on you." Chad responded.

"And I see what you mean." I said.

"Enough talk. Shinx, use Tackle!" Chad yelled.

"Use Scratch!" I shouted. Both attacks make a collision, neither one of them getting hurt.

"Heh, this is gonna be over soon. Trust me." I said.

"Not if I have anything to do about it! Use Tackle again!" Chad commanded.

"Use Scratch one more time!" I yelled. And once again, the attacks make a collision.

"Now use Ember!" I exclaimed. Perfect timing. Shinx gets hit by the flame attack, due to it being distracted by the Scratch. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!

"Oh! That smarts!" Chad complimented.

"I know my strategies." I replied.

"Let's see how you'll get through this! Use Charge!" Chad shouted. Shinx starts charging up, raising its Special Attack in the process.

"Ugh. Use Smokescreen..." I said bluntly. Charmander shoots out its smoke cloud right at Shinx, making the small electric tiger close its eyes and start coughing.

"Hang in there, Shinx!" Chad pleaded.

"Use Ember!" I exclaimed. Shinx couldn't see the attack coming, so it got hurt by it. This is my chance.

"Now finish this with Scratch!" I shouted. And so, Charmander finishes the turn with its sharp claws. Shinx lays on the floor with swirly eyes.

"Shinx is unable to battle! Charmander is the winner!" The referee shouted, pointing to my side of the field.

"YEAH! He did it! Now he just has to defeat one more!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Nice! Good start, Charmander! You did great." I complimented.

"Char, char!" Charmander said, excited that it won. Chad returns his Shinx to its ball.

"Better beware of my last Pokémon, Nifty. You won't see what's coming." Chad said.

"We'll see about that." I replied.

"Come on out, Pikachu!" Chad shouted, sending out his last Pokémon. Dang! He has one of the most popular Pokémon ever! I guess I better be careful here.

"Get ready, Charmander. We can do this." I said. Charmander pumps his fists. Yep, now we're determined.

"Ember!" I commanded.

"Charge Beam!" Chad shouted. Before the flame could hit, Pikachu blocks it with his move. Dang, it's not gonna be easy.

"Ugh... use Scratch!" I yelled. Charmander runs over to Pikachu with its sharp claws.

"Use Thunder Wave!" Chad shouted. And Pikachu shoots out the lightning ring, and Charmander ends up getting paralyzed. Oh boy...

"Hang in there, Charmander!" I exclaimed. My partner slowly gets up, but stumbles again due to the paralysis.

"You can't attack much if you're paralyzed." Chad explained. Dude, you think I don't know that?

"Duh." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Now get ready for a huge drop. Quick Attack!" Chad commanded. And so, at lightning speed, Pikachu attacks Charmander with its body in such speed.

"Ember!" I shouted in a worried tone.

"Dodge!" Chad yelled. Pikachu dodges the flame.

"Now use Charge Beam!" Chad screamed. And that hit was enough to take him down. Charmander lays on the field, unconscious.

"Charmander is unable to battle! Pikachu is the winner!" The gym instructor said, pointing to Chad's side of the battlefield.

I walk up to Charmander, and it slowly wakes up.

"You did well." I said as I gently pet it.

"Char..." It says, feeling guilty that we lost this round.

"You tried at least. You did the best you can." I said softly. Charmander smiles as it hugs me. I hug it back, since I don't have another choice.

"We'll get it next time, okay? Now... get some rest." I responded lovingly. I returned Charmander to his ball to rest for a bit. Sonic looked a bit worried as well.

"I hope Nifty can do this." Sonic said to himself. I look at Chad, feeling pretty aggravated.

"Tough battle, I must say." I said with a smirk.

"Not lots of people expect what's coming from Pikachu here." Chad responded.

"I'm going to end it here today." I said. I grab another ball.

"Froakie! It's up to you!" I shouted, sending out my other Pokémon. Yes, I know what you're thinking. Why use a Water type in an Electric gym? Well, I have some faith in him.

"Good luck, Froakie. Believe in this, okay?" I asked him.

"Fro!" The frog exclaimed.

"Start off with Bubble!" I shouted. Finally, the move lands, but it doesn't do a lot of damage.

"Use Thunder Wave!" Chad yelled. And once that status move landed again, Froakie is paralyzed. Wow, just wow...

"Shake it off and use Pound!" I exclaimed. But it couldn't work as Froakie stood still and stumbles to get up.

"Get him with Charge Beam!" Chad shouted. Pikachu shoots its Beam, and Froakie gets hurt badly from it, shooting him high up into the air.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Chad continued. And Pikachu knocks Froakie back to the ground.

"Froakie! Are you okay?!" I screamed. Froakie just looks around, still struggling a bit.

"Hang in there..." I thought.

"FROOOOOOO!" The frog screamed. And then it started glowing. Everyone here looked at this in a surprised way. Could it be what I think it is?

After some time of glowing, Froakie begins to change. It grows a bit taller, and gets more frubbles on its neck. The bright blue glowing finally stops, and here comes the evolution of my first partner:

Frogadier.

Oh my Arceus, yes! I finally got an evolution! Sonic cheered from above.

"YES! Go Nifty! You can do it!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Alright! You evolved into a Frogadier!" I screamed. My newly evolved partner looks at me and gives me a thumbs up.

"Come on, Frogadier. We're gonna finish this battle." I said. Chad looked at me and smirked.

"Use Charge Beam!" He shouted.

"Counter it!" I yelled. I don't know what move, hopefully the frog will understand. And luckily, he counters the beam with a new move: Water Pulse.

"Perfect. Frogadier, use Lick!" I shouted. Luckily, with fast speed that is barely even readable, Frogadier attacks. Great hit!

"Grr... use Quick Attack!" Chad commanded. Pikachu started running around Frogadier with its attack, trying to distract him.

"Wait just a second..." I started. My Pokémon waits for a second as well. I wait for the right timing... THERE WE GO!

"Now you use Quick Attack!" I yelled. Frogadier attacks Pikachu with its devastating speed, sending the yellow mouse high up into the air! Yes! This is my chance!

"No! This can't be!" Chad shouted in shock.

"Now, Frogadier! FINISH THIS WITH WATER PULSE!" I screamed. And so, Frogadier shoots out a large water sphere right at Pikachu, making the opponent Pokémon go down. After some more smoke cleared up, Pikachu fainted as it lays on the ground defeated.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Frogadier is the winner, which means the victory goes to Nifty Weaka, the challenger!" The referee exclaimed.

I... I won. I can't believe it! I actually freaking won!

"Yes! Good job, Frogadier!" I shouted as I ran up to my partner. One I come to him, I give him a high five. Chad returns Pikachu to his ball and smiles.

 _"You beat me fair and square. Maybe I should've played a different beat."_ He thought. Chad walks over to me with a smile on his face. I also send all of my Pokémon out so they can know of my first gym win.

"Nifty." Chad started.

"Ya?" I asked as I looked at him.

"Congratulations on your victory! It is my pleasure now to present to you your first Gym Badge." Chad replied. He then gave me a small badge in the form of two lightning strikes with a gray circle and a yellow dot inside.

"The Arc Badge is all yours." Chad said. He placed it in my hands as I looked at it in awe. Containing my excitement again, I hold the badge high up into the air.

"ALRIGHT! I just got the Arc Badge!" I screamed. My Pokémon cheer with me. I hear Chad chuckle a bit from that. I don't blame him. I grab my badge case and put the Arc Badge in it.

"I would also like for you to take this TM as a gift for your victory." Chad continued. And he gave me a yellow TM.

"What move does this contain?" I ask him.

"This TM contains the move Charge Beam," Chad replied, "TMs are an excellent way to make your Pokémon stronger. TMs contain battle moves the Pokémon are capable of learning."

"I know, I learned about it in school." I admitted. I had to say it, someone had to.

"In this case, TM57, or Charge Beam, is an Electric type move that has a special side effect that can boost your Pokémon's Special Attack." Chad explained.

"That is cool." I complimented.

"The Arc Badge allows you to use HM01 Cut outside of battle. It also allows you to trade for Pokémon up to level 20." Chad continued. I didn't get that HM yet, but whatever.

"Neat additions." I responded.

"Thank you for stopping by my club. That was a very entertaining battle." Chad thanked.

"No problem." I said. As I walk back to the exit, Sonic comes up to me.

"That was amazing, Nifty! I thought the battle was amazing!" Sonic exclaimed.

"It was a close call. If Frogadier didn't get the evolution, I might've lost." I confessed.

"Hey, at least you've done it! When we come back outside, I'm gonna get some food so we can discuss when I will do the gym battle." Sonic said.

"Sounds like a plan." I replied.

* * *

As we step outside, I see Jake running to us. Took you long enough...

"Oh, Hey Nifty! Hey Sonic!" Jake greeted.

"Hi Jake!" Sonic greeted.

"Sup." I said.

"Wow, Nifty, you have the Arc Badge now." Jake said in shock.

"Yep. We're gonna take a break before Sonic will battle next." I explained.

"I'm on my way to challenge the Gym right now." Jake said. No way, him too? I guess we'll have some double trouble here. We're all such a good group.

"I really hope my Pokémon are as strong as yours." Jake confessed.

"You got a long way, my friend." I said as I pat his shoulder.

"Maybe we can have another battle soon." Jake responded.

"We'll see." I said with a smirk.

"Anyways, check this out. This is the reason I was late getting here." Jake said.

"What's the reason?" I asked.

"It's called an RTD. I want you and Sonic to have these two." Jake replied. He gives Sonic and I some kind of transporting device.

"What does this do?" I asked with more confusion in my voice.

"RTD stands for Recreational Teleportation Device," Jake explained, "It allows you to teleport to some really neat places just for trainers like you, me and Sonic."

"That's so cool!" I exclaimed.

"For example, the Trade Resort or the Battle Colosseum," Jake continued, "The Trade Resort is where trainers can go to trade their Pokémon with other trainers. The Battle Colosseum is also a place where they can battle other trainers' Pokémon."

"This is awesome. Thanks, Jake!" I said. Sonic nods in agreement.

"It's really convenient having specific places to go when you're in the mood for trading and battling others." Jake responded.

"Anyways, it's time for me to get that badge!" Jake exclaimed.

"Go get em dude!" I cheered.

"See ya later, Nifty. Bye, Sonic." Jake said as he waved. He enters the gym, and we decide to do something else while we wait.

"Hey! You two!" A voice shouted. As we stepped down the stairs, we see another person. He had black hair and a gray sweater with black sleeves, along with gray pants and purple shoes.

"Um... yes?" I asked. Who is this guy? Why is he looking for us? What did we do wrong?

"I was checking around the city, with my strong Pokémon by my side." The guy bragged. Dude, did you just say they're strong for no reason? I'll believe it when I see it.

"Who are you?" Sonic asked.

"I'm Kevin. I'm just... you know, one of these strong trainers in this world." The guy boasted. I already do not like him. Sonic also looked annoyed, so even he agrees with me.

Suddenly, I see Sonic's Rockruff come out of its ball when it heard the conversation. It got happy when it saw this guy again, so Rockruff ran over and started panting.

"You!" Kevin snapped. He then kicks Rockruff roughly, making the poor dog lay on the floor, weakened. OH MY GOSH! That is a definite red flag! You do NOT kick another trainer's Pokémon like that, you idiot! That's Pokémon abuse!

"Rockruff!" Sonic shouted in a worried tone. Rockruff whimpers as it looks at Sonic. My friend began to get furious at him. Uh oh...

"Why did you do that?!" Sonic screamed.

"Why _did_ I do that? That Rockruff is very weak when I first had it on my team. Weak Pokémon don't deserve to be with me." Kevin replied. What?! That Rockruff was originally owned by this guy? No wonder it was around Chesma Town!

"I released it after a few battles, which that dog has BARELY even won! I got a much better partner with me now." Kevin said.

"You... JERK!" Sonic yelled. He began to try to lunge at Kevin, but I held him back.

"Woah woah woah, take it easy! I understand that you're upset about this and I am too, but calm down!" I exclaimed as I pulled him back.

"I don't care! Let me at him!" Sonic commanded. No way in both heaven and hell, my friend.

"Perhaps you want at me? Fine. I challenge you to a battle." Kevin said.

"I'll do it! I'll show you how Rockruff can truly do in battle!" Sonic protested.

"Welp, time to do some watching again." I muttered under my breath.

* * *

"Come on, Sonic! Show that guy who's boss!" I cheered from aside. This Kevin guy isn't so very nice. Sonic better beat this guy in a battle.

"Go, Rockruff!" Sonic yelled, and the dog gets ready for the battle.

"Ha! Starting with that weak one? You disgust me." Kevin mocked.

"Don't get expectations high." Sonic warned.

"Whatever, idiot. Go, Litten!" Kevin shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. I look at my Pokédex, and it looks like Kevin has 2 Pokémon in his party right now. Litten is one of them, interesting.

Sonic's Pokémon are at level 15 while Kevin's is at level 14. This seems close, but Sonic has the advantage. In types and in general.

"Litten, use Fire Fang!" Kevin yelled. Litten runs to Rockruff, and opens its mouth with it become a bit fiery.

"Sand Attack!" Sonic exclaimed. Before Litten can attack, Rockruff shot sand right in Litten's eyes. The cat began to rub its eyes, trying to dust off the sand.

"Perfect! Now use Bite!" Sonic yelled. Rockruff bites Litten roughly, leaving an okay amount of damage. Dang, this guy's Pokémon is bulky.

"Don't get too excited. Litten, use Lick!" Kevin exclaimed. Litten began to run again.

"Sand Attack one more time!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff attempted to use that same status move, but Litten dodges as it runs.

"No way!" Sonic exclaimed. Litten licks Rockruff, leaving the dog paralyzed.

"ROCKRUFF!" Sonic screamed.

"I told you. That Pokémon is weak. Don't give your hopes up, you can find more." Kevin suggested.

"I will never do such a thing! Rockruff, can you keep going on?" Sonic proclaimed.

"R-Ruff..." Rockruff barked quietly. It seemed to be okay to keep going on. That's what's up!

"Okay, now use Tackle!" Sonic commanded. Rockruff runs right at the fire cat.

"Counter with Scratch!" Kevin shouted. Litten lands that one hit, but Rockruff jumps up into the air.

"Now use Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff sends out a bunch of small rocks, and throws them right at Litten. The smoke clears again, and Litten fainted. No big surprise. You can't deal with type effectiveness.

Kevin returns Litten to his ball. He did not look happy by this.

"You ridiculous guy. That was because you had the advantage." Kevin said.

"I think I'll keep on going against you." Sonic said with a smirk. Yeah, tell him, Sonic! Kevin pulls out a Great Ball this time.

"Put up or shut up." Kevin warned. Wow! That's a lot of smack talk right there. Come on, Sonic!

"Go, Frillish!" Kevin shouted, sending out his last Pokémon.

"Frill!" The Water/Ghost Pokémon shouted. It was blue, so it's a male. I checked my Pokédex again. What?! That Frillish is level 18! I thought it would be level 14 like Litten! Apparently this Kevin dude brags too much. No wonder...

Sonic looks at Rockruff, who was paralyzed.

"Return, Rockruff. I'll take you to the Pokémon Center after this battle." Sonic said. Rockruff barks and walks back to Sonic's side.

"Go Chespin!" Sonic yelled, sending out his other Pokémon. Luckily you have the advantage again.

"Okay, show this guy with Vine Whip!" Sonic commanded. Chespin brings out the two vines, and slaps Frillish with it.

"Good job!" Sonic complimented. But Frillish was still alright.

"Use Night Shade!" Kevin shouted. Frillish sends out a bunch of ominous purple wind, and throws it right at Chespin. It does a total of 18 damage since Frillish himself is level 18.

"Very good, now use Bite!" Sonic shouted. Chespin runs up and bites Frillish. Also super effective since Ghost types are weak to Dark.

"Use Bubble Beam!" Kevin exclaimed. Frillish shot a bunch of bubbles from its mouth at insane speed.

"Counter with Rollout!" Sonic yelled. Chespin curls up into a ball and begins to spin rapidly to get rid of the bubbles. Then, still spinning, Chespin rolls over to Frillish, making the water ghost take that damage. Not bad!

"Heh heh heh. Use Recover!" Kevin said with a smirk. Frillish then regains it's health back with its special healing move. Oh Arceus, no. That move is a real pain in the neck.

"Don't give up yet, Chespin. We have to do this!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Pin, Chespin!" The spiny nut Pokémon shouted.

"Alright then, let's do this!" Sonic yelled. Suddenly, Chespin begins to glow. Oh boy, another evolution! Chespin now gets a bit bigger and wider, and it grows 2 longer horns on its head.

Quilladin.

"Yay! You evolved!" Sonic cheered.

"Awesome job, Sonic! That's what's up!" I exclaimed. Kevin just scoffs.

"Please. Evolution ain't nothing when it comes to battles." Kevin said. Dude, my Froakie was the one who just previously evolved into Frogadier during the first gym battle. Ain't that enough proof?

"Let's show him, Quilladin. Use Vine Whip!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin sends out the same vines, this time much bigger, whips Frillish a couple times, doing more damage than before.

"Hah. Use Recover!" Kevin shouted. Frillish began to recover itself again.

"Oh no you don't! Use Rollout!" Sonic yelled. Quilladin shapes itself into a ball again and runs into Frillish, stopping its healing in the process.

"Use Night Shade!" Kevin screamed. Frillish begins to shape its wind again. It hits Quilladin, direct hit. After it landed on the floor, it struggled to get up.

"Come on, Quilladin! We can do it!" Sonic shouted. Luckily, Quilladin gets up in time.

"See ya. Now, Frillish! Use Bubble Beam!" Kevin yelled.

"Run over to Frillish, then use Bite!" Sonic exclaimed. As Frillish kept on shooting its beam, Quilladin avoided the attack with good speed.

"Impossible!" Kevin shouted. And now, Quilladin gets close to Frillish and bites it. Frillish falls to the floor, fainted.

"YEAH! Awesome job, Sonic!" I screamed. That's enough proof to show that Sonic is one of the greatest people I met. Kevin was beyond surprised right now.

"I can't believe I lost..." Kevin thought.

* * *

Sonic walked up to his newly evolved partner.

"Great job, Quilladin. You did great." Sonic said.

"Quill!" The Pokémon said happily, feeling good that its trainer is just fine. Sonic looks at Kevin, who scoffed.

"You were lucky this round." Kevin said.

"I didn't think so. Sonic takes care of his Pokémon with love, just like me." I said as I approached my friend. Kevin just scoffs and begins to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Sonic asked.

"The next time we meet, I will defeat you." Kevin replied, and then walks away without turning back.

"That was a great battle, Sonic." I said.

"Thanks, Nifty." Sonic responded with a fake smile. He looks at his Rockruff, who had a sad look on his face. I can understand why. After all, that idiot trainer hurt this poor little guy.

"Don't worry, Rockruff. I'll take you to the Pokémon Center and make you better." Sonic said softly. The dog was still paralyzed from that battle.

"Let's go. We got a long way ahead of us." I suggested. Sonic nods and we make our way to the Pokémon Center. I wonder... will there be any other people we'll meet? Yeah, I can tell it's definitely possible.

* * *

 **A/N: Yes! Third chapter is done! Looks like we got a new character on our list! Note that Kevin is supposed to be like Paul from the Diamond and Pearl anime, but with a little twist from me. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! More coming soon! :D**


	4. Moving On From Here

**Hello there, dudes! I hope y'all are having a good day today. Of course imma keep working on the story, because I think it's really good. Be sure to check out my other stories, and don't be afraid to check it out or leave a review!**

 **I hope you enjoy! :D**

* * *

I see the next route ahead of me. This is where we'll be going next. Of course, I would like to see Sonic get his badge first. I wonder how things might turn out?

Considering that he won against a very mean guy who claims that he's strong, I'm pretty sure Sonic will be able to defeat the Gym Leader.

We entered the building, and it's the same as usual.

"I already told you that I defeated all the trainers here." Sonic said.

"Yeah, you did tell me that." I replied. Yes, he might've defeated the trainers, but... BUT! He'll still have to prove how well he can dance.

"You still gotta do the puzzles, my guy." I said.

"Oh, good idea." Sonic responded. The first one was easy like before, as Sonic just went across on each row. As much as I would like to help Sonic on the pattern for the 2nd row, I decided to let him try first.

Eventually, he does. Not bad, Sonic. Once that is done, we saw the Gym Leader again, still playing his awesome dubstep music.

"I'm sure your friend here wants to challenge me as well?" Chad asked me.

"Indeed." I replied.

"Your other friend put up a good challenge, so I wonder what awaits this guy." Chad said.

"Well, you're about to find out." Sonic said with a smirk.

"Get ready for another drop! This battle begins now!" Chad exclaimed.

* * *

 **-If you don't wanna go through another view of the gym battle, I suggest skip this part unless you want to see how Sonic defeats the leader-**

I sat on the bleachers by the huge battlefield.

"Come on, Sonic! You can do it!" I cheered. Let's see how my best friend can do this.

"All of you know the rules here. Battle begin!" The referee shouted.

"Come on out, Shinx!" Chad shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Yeah, this guy wasn't much of a problem, but I know Pikachu is.

"Go, Rockruff!" Sonic shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. As some time went on, I see that Sonic looked a bit nervous. Understandable. He must be still recovering from the harsh words that Kevin said to him.

But seriously. I still can't believe that Rockruff was once one of Kevin's Pokémon! This Kevin guy is not really nice. Come on, Sonic! Get a hold of yourself!

"Listen, Rockruff... we have to become stronger. We need to show Kevin what we are truly capable of." Sonic said as he bends his knees to make eye contact with the dog.

"Ruff Ruff!" Rockruff barked.

"I'm glad you understand. Now let's get our Gym Badge!" Sonic shouted in a determined voice. Now that's how I want to see this! Go Sonic!

"Start off with Rock Throw!" Sonic yelled. Rockruff sends out a bunch of small rocks, then throws them at Shinx.

"Okay, charge up!" Chad exclaimed. Shinx begins charging up power, raising its special defense in the process.

"Rockruff, use Tackle!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff begins to run at Shinx.

"Charge Beam!" Chad screamed. Shinx shoots out a large electric beam. Rockruff noticed it and barely dodged.

"Yikes! This is gonna be a toughie." I said to myself. It's true, Charge Beam raises the Pokémon's Special Attack once in a while.

"Don't give up just yet, Rockruff!" Sonic exclaimed. Luckily, the dog Pokémon barks loudly, telling its trainer that's it's okay.

"Shinx, use Tackle!" Chad commanded. Shinx runs the fastest it can.

"Counter with Sand Attack!" Sonic shouted. Before Shinx could land its move, Rockruff dusts up a cloud of sand and throws it right at Shinx's face, making the Pokémon not see what's going on.

"Now use Bite!" Sonic yelled. Rockruff proceeds to bite Shinx, with the electric tiger running around, trying to gets its victim off.

"Come on, Shinx!" Chad exclaimed. Eventually, Rockruff let's go so it can finish the attack.

"Now use Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff throws a bunch of the small rocks right at Shinx. And there we go, it's already over. Good job, Sonic.

"Shinx is unable to battle! Rockruff is the winner!" The referee yelled, pointing at Sonic's side of the field.

"Yes! Good job!" Sonic complimented. Rockruff barks happily at the statement.

"It's not over yet, though. You still gotta get past my last Pokémon." Chad said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I know. I just needed some cheer from my partners." Sonic said.

"Well, here we go. Pikachu, Go!" Chad shouted, sending out his last Pokémon. I had a bit of trouble from this guy, but I believe Sonic can do this. He's pretty strong as well.

"Be careful, Sonic! That Pikachu ain't to be taken lightly, just to let you know!" I warned. I'm sorry, I had to tell him that this will be tough.

"I'll try, Nifty! We will do this!" Sonic exclaimed. Good luck. I wish him the best. Sonic nods at his Rockruff, and the small Pokémon nods back.

"Rockruff, use Tackle!" Sonic shouted.

"Use Thunder Wave!" Chad yelled. Before Rockruff could land its attack, it quickly used Thunder Wave to paralyze its opponent.

"Oh no!" Sonic exclaimed with a worried tone.

"Don't give up just yet." I mumbled. He can do this, I just know it. If I can do it, he can as well.

"Now, use Charge Beam!" Chad shouted. Pikachu shoots out a large yellow beam at Rockruff, but the dog couldn't do anything to counter it due to it being paralyzed.

"Okay then... use Rock Throw!" Sonic yelled. Luckily, Rockruff manages to form a bunch of small rocks and not get disturbed by the paralysis.

"Use Quick Attack to dodge all of them!" Chad commanded. At really fast speed, Pikachu dodges all the incoming rocks.

"Now use Charge Beam one more time!" Chad exclaimed.

"Dodge it, Rockruff!" Sonic shouted. But it was too late. Rockruff already got hit by the attack. Luckily, it didn't faint, but it struggled to get up. Paralysis and all that...

"Rockruff, return!" Sonic yelled, then returns the dog to its Poke Ball.

"Looks like the challenger is switching Pokémon. I wonder who will come next?" The instructor said.

"Go, Quilladin!" Sonic exclaimed, sending out his next Pokémon. It seemed like a good idea to switch anyway.

"Alright that's perfect. Grass types resist Electric type moves." I said. But now the true question remains: how they will be ABLE to do this.

"Start with a good ol' Vine Whip!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin sends the two vines and starts whipping away.

"Hang in there, Pikachu! Now use Quick Attack!" Chad yelled. Pikachu runs in fast speed.

"Counter with Rollout!" Sonic exclaimed. Quilladin curls into a ball and rolls continuously, running into Pikachu on the way. Both attacks do collision, but both of them didn't take any damage from either attack.

"We will end this here! Use Bite!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin runs once again.

"Charge Beam!" Chad commanded. Unfortunately, Quilladin wasn't fast enough to try and dodge the incoming attack. Pikachu's Special Attack gets raised in the process due to the move landing.

"Come on, Quilladin! We can do this!" Sonic exclaimed. This caused Quilladin to get determined from this, and then it starts running again, but using a different move this time. As the Pokémon gets closer to its opponent, one of its arms turns a bit spiky and runs right into it. Woah! Looks like Quilladin already learned a new move.

"Oh my gosh! What was that?" Sonic asked.

"That was Needle Arm! It's a pretty good Grass type move that can cause flinching!" I replied. What can I say? I studied Pokémon A LOT.

"Ooh, we can use this move to our advantage!" Sonic said.

"Good idea. Keep it up, Sonic!" I responded.

"New moves won't go too far. Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!" Chad yelled. And Pikachu sends out the electric attack again.

"Quick, counter with Rollout!" Sonic shouted. Luckily, Quilladin blocks the attack with its equally fast speed.

"Now, go get em!" Sonic continued. Quilladin rolls the fastest it can.

"Quick Attack!" Chad shouted. Pikachu also runs fast, ready to counter the attack again like before. But it actually doesn't happen because...

"Jump!" Sonic screamed. Quilladin jumps up in the air, avoiding the attack.

"Now, use Needle Arm one more time!" Sonic yelled. From the air, the spiny armor Pokémon makes one of its arms become pretty spiky, and drops down right into Pikachu, nailing the hit in the process.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Quilladin is the winner, and that means the victory of this battle goes to Sonic!" The referee shouted.

"Yay! We did it!" Sonic cheered.

"Quill!" Quilladin shouts happily.

"Congratulations, Sonic. That was a pretty good battle. You sure know how to keep those dance moves in place." Chad complimented.

"Thanks." Sonic said.

"With that being said, I now present to you the Arc Badge." Chad said, giving Sonic the badge.

"Wow, it looks cool!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Just like before with your friend, Nifty, I'll give you the TM for the move Charge Beam." Chad continued, giving Sonic the TM as well.

"That was a good battle. Thanks, Chad." Sonic said.

"See ya next time, dude!" Chad exclaimed, and then walks back to his DJ table to continue playing his dubstep music.

I walk over to my friend with a smile on my face.

"Good job, Sonic. You did great." I complimented.

"I appreciate it, Nifty. Let's go ahead and continue our adventure." Sonic suggested. I nodded in agreement, and we made our way out of the gym.

* * *

Back at Silvent City. Once again, I look at the route we're going to next. Now we're actually making our way there. If we're gonna save my parents, we're gonna have to do it fast. Who knows what Team Eclipse might be doing to them? Something bad, that's what.

As we make our way to Route 4, we see a tree in our way to prevent us from moving forward. By it, we a lumberjack with a crown in the form of antlers.

"Hiya." I greeted.

"Oh, the life of a lumberjack. Hacking away at trees for days, with your trusty axe." He said to himself. This lumberjack must've been daydreaming since he wasn't answering my greet. Great...

"Pokémon can also cut down the smaller trees if you teach them the move Cut!" The lumberjack continued. Okay, he wasn't daydreaming. Still, it's rude to not say hello back when someone greets you.

"That seems interesting." I said, since it's my only answer.

"You'll need the badge from the Silvent City in order to use Cut outside of battle, but here's the HM so that you can teach it to your Pokémon!" The guy said, giving Sonic and I the HM.

"Nice. This'll come in handy!" I complimented.

"Be careful when teaching HMs to Pokémon," The lumberjack warned, "A Pokémon cannot forget an HM move unless brought to a specific person, known as the Move Deleter."

"Yeah, I'll be aware." I said with a smug look on my face. I sent out all of my Pokémon so far, and then I pull out the HM.

I also pull out my Pokédex to see who exactly can learn it. And I looked at who is able to. Wow! It turns out all three of my Pokémon can learn that move!

"Charmander, would you like to learn this move? With sharp claws like yours, I bet you'd me awesome with this move." I said to one of my buddies.

"Char, char!" My Pokémon exclaimed. Looks like it does.

"Okay then!" I said. I put the HM on its hand, it then it automatically learned the move, removing another in the process.

"Now, Charmander... use Cut on that small tree!" I command. Charmander's claws get more sharp, and it cuts down the tree, revealing a pathway for us to move on.

"Let's go." I said to my friend.

"Okay." Sonic replied. We all walk along Route 4, and all there is to this place is tall grass. THAT IT. After some walking, we enter the place where the next route is.

* * *

Route 5. Well, at least _this_ place looks much longer.

"Ooh, this place looks nice!" Sonic complimented.

"Word." I said. As we begin to walk, someone stopped us.

"Hey, wait up!" The voice shouted. I see a person run to us from behind. His clothing consists of a blue long sleeve shirt, and long, white pants and gray shoes. He also has some kind of crown with wings, and has an excited look on his face that creeps me out for some reason...

"You look like you love running, am I right?" The guy asked.

"Sure." I replied.

"I suppose so." Sonic said.

"Me too!" The excited dude exclaimed, "I just ran for 024035103:56..."

"TMI!" I yelled.

"I actually have 2 extra pairs of Running Shoes!" The weird guy said.

"Ooh, that's cool!" Sonic complimented.

"Here, I want you two to have them." The guy said, then gives Sonic and I a pair of running shoes. This is perfect! I do jog once in a while.

"Try and keep up with me!" The guy with the wing crown bragged, and then takes off.

"Challenge accepted!" I shouted with a smirk, and then I immediately follow him. Somehow, a second after I run, I see this dude get caught in a cage out of nowhere.

"Not again!" He shouted. Then, he just disappears. WHAT?! I'm not even gonna ask about that...

"Well that was weird." I said. My Pokémon also look at the scene, beyond confused as well.

"Don't worry about it." I said to my partners. They all nod. Let's just get to the point.

"Come on, Sonic. Let's go." I called out.

"I'm coming, Nifty!" Sonic exclaimed. He caught up with me using the new Running Shoes we got from this disappearing guy.

As we walk along he Route, we see a trainer up ahead.

"Sonic. Would you like to do the honors?" I ask with a smirk.

"Sure thing." Sonic replied. He walks up to the trainer, and me and my Pokémon just watch.

"I've always admired the beauty of the savannah! My Pokémon here are so diverse too. Let me show you." The hiker said.

"Okay." Sonic replied.

* * *

And here we go, another battle.

"Go, Patrat!" The trainer shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Okay, not really the best start, but okay.

"Go Quilladin!" Sonic yelled, sending out his Pokémon. Of course Sonic. I bet the opponent doesn't stand a chance.

"Alright, use Rollout!" Sonic commanded. Quilladin rolls into a ball and rolls at insane speed.

"Bide." The hiker said. Patrat turns a bit red as it blocks the attack. It still took some damage, but it doesn't look like it gave up on that.

Patrat still stores up some energy.

"Okay, now use Tackle!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin rams right into Patrat. But it still took the hit.

"Now, unleash!" The opponent yelled. Patrat runs at Quilladin, and it ends up landing the hit, doing an INSANE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE! HOLY CRAP!

"Hang in there, Quilladin! Use Bite!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Use Bide." The trainer said. Again, Patrat takes the hit. Oh come on.

"I got a plan." Sonic whispered to the spiny armor Pokémon.

Patrat stores up energy.

"Wait for it..." Sonic said quietly.

"UNLEASH!" The hiker yelled. Patrat runs with insane power again.

"Dodge it!" Sonic screamed. Barely, Quilladin dodges the attack.

"Now use Needle Arm!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin rams Patrat with its spiky arm, and it's done for. The opposing trainer returns its first Pokémon.

"Go Litleo!" He shouted, sending out his last Pokémon. He only has two for a first trainer on this route.

"Quilladin, return." Sonic said. Quilladin nods and walks back to its trainer's side.

"Rockruff, it's up to you!" Sonic yelled, sending out his other Pokémon. This oughta be easy. Rockruff has the advantage.

"Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed. Rockruff sends a bunch of rocks coming, and it already almost takes it down.

"Use Tackle!" The trainer shouted.

"Counter with Sand Attack!" Sonic commanded. Once again, Rockruff counters the incoming attack with the power of sand.

"Now use Bite!" Sonic screamed. And that one move, Litleo is down.

"Your Pokémon are quite powerful. I wasn't expecting that." The hiker complimented.

* * *

"Well, I'd say that was a good battle. You're getting good at this, Sonic." I said.

"Thanks, Nifty." Sonic replied. Moving on. Immediately in front of the trainer, we see a pond. And out of surprise, we see a Pokémon looking at us. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell if it was looking at me or Sonic.

"Look!" My friend exclaimed, pointing at it. This Pokémon turned out to be a blue sea lion with a pink, round nose.

"Oh, that's a Popplio!" I said. The sea lion began to smile as it ran to Sonic. Well, now we know who she, yes _SHE,_ was looking at.

Popplio walked back into the pond, not for running away, but it seemed like it wanted to show us something.

"Let's take a look." Sonic suggested. I shrugged, since I really have no other choice. Plus, I want to see how this goes. So, I send out all of my Pokémon and Sonic does the same, and we just take a look at what will happen next. As we look at the pond, Popplio dives under the water and jumps back up, doing 3 front flips in a row. When Popplio lands, it bows,

"Wow, that was cool!" Sonic exclaimed.

"You deserve some credit." I added. Popplio barks happily, especially for Sonic. Looks like it wants to travel with him.

Popplio runs over to Sonic and looks at him. Meanwhile, Quilladin looks at its trainer happily and high fives him. After all, they won the gym battle together. Popplio looked at that scene and started to get angry. The sea lion tackles Quilladin out of the way, and then looks at Sonic with an innocent smile.

"Based on what I just saw, I have some good news and bad news," I explained, "The good news is that Popplio wants to come with you on your journey. The bad news is... it might seem jealous of your Quilladin."

"Oh, okay." Sonic replied. As he stared at Popplio, the Pokémon jumps around him, wanting to come with him.

"Hold still." Sonic said as he pulled out a Poke Ball. Popplio stops once that sentence was said.

"Go Poke Ball!" Sonic exclaimed as he threw the ball at Popplio, then it gets sucked into it. The ball lands on the ground.

One...

Two...

Three...

 _Click!_

And there we go. It's already done.

"Alright! I caught a Popplio!" Sonic shouted, and just like always, holds the Poke Ball in the air.

"Congrats, dude. Be sure you can test it in battle." I suggested.

"Why not?" Sonic said with a shrug. As we keep moving forward, we encounter another male camper.

"Hey, do you fight fair? I want to find out." He asks me.

"Allow me to show you the answer in a battle." I replied.

* * *

Welp, here we go again.

"Go, Nidoran!" My opponent shouted, sending out his Pokémon. The Nidoran is male, so nothing too much to worry about.

"Alright, Charmander, it's up to you!" I yelled, sending out my fire type.

"Ember!" I command. Like always. I have to start this battle with a good ol fire attack.

"Okay, use Peck!" The camper shouted.

"Smokescreen!" I yelled. Before Nidoran can land the attack, Charmander counters it with Smokescreen. I'll need more variety, I swear...

"Okay, Charmander, let's—" I started, but I stopped once I saw Charmander glowing. Alright, it's evolving!

After the whole evolution process happens, my newly evolved Pokémon comes. It grew bigger, and gained a more reddish color for its skin. It has a horn and a longer tail, but still the fire on the tip of its tail.

Charmeleon. Tis awesome.

"Alright! You evolved!" I exclaimed with a smile. Charmeleon looks at me with a smile and gives me a thumbs up.

"Hey, this fight ain't over!" My opponent whined. Thanks for ruining the moment...

"You're right, it isn't." I said. I look at my Pokédex, and... WOAH! It learned 2 new moves!

"Double Kick!" The male trainer shouted.

"Jump high into the air with Metal Claw!" I commanded. Before Nidoran lands the attack again, Charmeleon uses one of its new moves. He digs his gray metal claws onto the ground, and then releases them to end up high in the air.

"Finish this with Dragon Rage!" I screamed. Charmeleon sends a giant black cloud mixed with some blue from its mouth, and I can tell this match is already over. After the attack lands, Nidoran is down.

"Did you cheat? How can I trust you?" The camper asks in a suspicious tone. Hey, alls fair in a Pokémon battle.

* * *

"Evolution sure is amazing." Sonic complimented.

"Of course it is! After all, Pokémon grow much more stronger with their evolutions." I said. This Route is huge I must say. Looks like we got a long way to go.

The tall grass here is patched in a huge circle every time we see one, but it's not like I mind. I encounter a female trainer this time, so I'll battle again.

"This giant rock reminds me of something... I can't quite figure out what. Maybe a battle will help me think better." She said. She's right, though, there's a huge rock behind us.

"Okay, let's do it." I replied.

* * *

"Come on out, Litleo!" The female picnicker shouted, sending out her Pokémon. This is literally the only one she has.

"Go, Nidoran!" I yelled, sending out my Pokémon. Since Litleo is a Normal and Fire type, one of my moves will be super effective.

"Double Kick!" I exclaimed.

"Counter with Tackle!" The girl yelled. Both attacks made collision. No damage. I have to say, nice job on the countering.

"Hang in there and use Poison Sting!" I shouted.

"Use Ember!" The female shouted. Once again, both attacks collide, leaving a cloud of smoke from it.

"Okay, that's good and all." I complimented.

"Nido..." I could hear my Nidoran get a little frustrated.

"Don't give up yet, Nidoran! We can still do this!" I said.

"NIDOOOOOO!" The Poison Pin Pokémon screamed, and then it glows. Holy moly, two evolution throughout 2 battles?! Crap, I am on a roll!

My new partner grows much more bigger, has more patterns on its body, and its horn grows bigger as well.

Nidorino.

"Ha ha ha. What do you say we show them some immense power?" I ask. Nidorino nods.

"Now, use Double Kick!" I screamed.

"Ember!" The girl yelled.

"Dodge!" I shouted. Nidorino dodges the incoming attack, and then runs up to Litleo and lands its two kicks. Easy peasy.

"Oh, I remember now! It's like the rock in that commercial for Sawsbuck Coffee!" My opponent exclaimed. Wow, just that for a commercial.

"Okay then..." I said with a bored look on my face.

* * *

Well, I'm glad these battles show some personality from these trainers. It looks like we're not far from the next city from what I can see. We see another trainer, a black belt, up ahead of us. He notices us, like every time.

"I never let trainers pass me without testing their strength first! You two won't be any exceptions." He said. Two? Is he gonna battle both of us?

"Wait. You want to battle both of us?" Sonic asked.

"Yes. Like I said, no one passes without testing strength against me." The black belt added.

"I guess we're partnering up." I said.

"Let's go for it." Sonic replied.

* * *

Well, this is certainly a first. I'm partnering with Sonic in this battle.

"GO!" Our opponent shouted, and sent out 2 Pokémon. These two turned to be a Machop, and another of the same. 2 of the same? I'm not totally impressed, I'm sorry.

"Okay, go, Nidorino!" I shouted, and sent out my newly evolved Poison type.

"Go, Quilladin!" Sonic shouted, sending out his. Seems like a good choice, since Rockruff is weak to fighting moves.

"Use Peck!" I yelled. I don't care which of the Machop he's going for, but I don't really care since both of them ARE THE SAME! Anyways, Nidorino uses said move on the left Machop, and it's a one hit KO. Yeah, too easy.

"Quilladin, use Needle Arm!" Sonic exclaimed. Quilladin rams the right Machop with its spiky arm. That didn't do a one hit though.

"Use Karate Chop on Quilladin!" Black belt dude said. Before Machop can land the move, Nidorino runs in front of Quilladin and takes the swift hand hit, not taking much damage from it.

"Wow! Thanks, Nidorino!" Sonic said. Nidorino looks at Sonic and winks, telling its friend as a gesture for "You're welcome."

"Combo?" I asked. Sonic nods.

"Okay, Quilladin, use Rollout on Nidorino!" Sonic yelled. Quilladin gets confused by that as to ask why, but it does so anyway since it feels a plan coming along.

"Nidorino, use Peck!" I shouted. As Nidorino's horn grows much bigger, Quilladin makes it gain speed by hitting it with Rollout. The move lands, and as much as our opponent would want to quickly try and dodge it, it would be impossible considering the speed. I mean, seriously...

Ugh.

"Time to heat things up. Go, Pancham!" The karate expert shouted, sending out his last Pokémon. Crap, I'm getting some Linda vibes. This would turn out different though.

"Return, Quilladin." Sonic said, then returns his starter back into its ball.

"Now it's your turn, Popplio!" Sonic shouted, and sends out the Pokémon he just got earlier. Once Popplio came out, it started to get even more determined to focus on Sonic more.

"Hey, calm down, okay? We got a battle to do!" Sonic exclaimed.

"I think it would help if I decide to switch as well." I said, and then I return Nidorino to his ball.

"Go, Frogadier!" I yelled, and send out the starter I own. I just believe that a Water type would focus on another if any.

"Okay, let's get this over with." I said.

"Popplio, use Disarming Voice!" Sonic shouted. Perfect move. Fighting types are weak to a Fairy moves. Popplio releases a beam of purple hearts right at Pancham, doing lots of damage.

"Nice one, Sonic! Now, Frogadier, use Quick Attack!" I yelled. Speed has nothing to compete when it comes to this battle. That's one sturdy Pokémon, it's still not done for yet.

"Pancham, use Karate Chop!" Our opponent shouted. Apparently, he went for Frogadier this turn. Not much damage if I do say, but we must end this with a combo.

"Frogadier, trap Pancham with Water Pulse!" I exclaimed. Frogadier releases its giant water orb from its hand, and throws it at the opposing Pokémon. Rather than take some damage, it's prefect for a trap as well.

"Popplio, use Sing!" Sonic yelled. Popplio sings a calm but sleepy song, and Pancham couldn't escape from it even if he wanted to, due to being trapped inside Water Pulse.

Just in time, the Water Pulse disintegrates and Pancham falls onto the floor, fast asleep.

"Now, Popplio! Let's finish this with Water Gun!" Sonic shouted. And there we go. One move from that beam of water, and Pancham is done for.

"You two are worthy opponents." The black belt said.

"Namaste." I replied back. I don't even know why I said that.

* * *

Uh oh! Up ahead, there's a branch in the path. There's only 2 ways to go, and I'm not sure where either of these lead to,

"Imma suggest we go right, just to see what's there." I suggested.

"Good idea, Nifty." Sonic agreed. We head right. That's our final decision. Looks like a bug catcher trainer is up ahead. I think I'll do this. After all, I have a Fire type and a Poison type.

"A lot of bug Pokémon are known for how early they evolve. It gives trainers like me a pretty big advantage." The bug catcher says.

"We'll see about that." I said.

* * *

"Go, Butterfree!" My opponent shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. He only has 2, so it shouldn't be a problem. Bug types oughta be easy to defeat.

"You're up, Nidorino!" I shouted, sending out my Poison type.

"Use Peck!" I exclaimed. Despite this move being super effective once it landed, it did almost half damage. I'm not even mad, I can see what this guy meant.

"Use Confusion!" The bug opponent trainer yelled. Butterfree's eyes turn a light blue, and then lifts Nidorino up in the air. After Butterfree has a bit of fun and teases Nidorino by circling it with its psychic powers, it roughly throws Nidorino at a wall, ending the move.

"Don't give up just yet. Use Poison Sting!" I shouted. Nidorino sends a thick triangle of poison right at Butterfree, it does okay damage. Not bad.

"Confusion one more time!" Welp! That seemed enough. Luckily, I have a plan. Butterfree once again lifts Nidorino, and doesn't have much fun, so it just throws him to a wall.

"Quick, use Double Kick!" I screamed. Nidorino hits the wall with its two feet, and launches itself right at Butterfree.

"Finish this with Peck!" I yelled. And that was enough. Butterfree is down.

"Dang. Go Beedrill!" My opponent yelled, returning his first Pokémon and sending out his last. Yeah, I got this.

"Nidorino, return." I said, then put Nidorino back in his ball.

"Go get em, Charmeleon!" I shouted, sending out my one of my two starters.

"Dragon Rage!" I added. Bam, it's such a powerful move. Heck, Beedrill is already almost down! That was fast.

"Use Fury Attack!" Bug catcher shouted. Beedrill flies up to Charmeleon and wacky it with its spiky pointers multiple times. Not much though.

"Finish with Ember." I said bluntly. What else do I got to say? Beedrill is already done for from that move. Never compete with me that easily.

"Looks like you had the upper hand." My opponent said. Yeah, this is why you don't get expectations high.

* * *

As Sonic and I kept moving on the pathway, I see a bridge ahead of us. No, it's not the new city. But it's worth looking at. Sonic decides to go ahead of me for some reason.

"Why?" I asked.

"I see another trainer." Sonic replied. Aight, I'll let him to the honors of battling.

As Sonic passed the bridge and kept on walking, he encountered the male camper.

"I was just visiting my ancestors' graves. I get sad when I visit here. Maybe a battle will cheer me up?" He wondered.

"Let's find out." Sonic said.

* * *

"Go, Cubone!" Sonic's opponent shouted, sending out his first Pokémon.

"You got this, Quilladin!" Sonic shouted as he sent out his starter.

"Use Needle Arm!" Sonic added. Another good ol ram. Wow! A one hit KO. You didn't give him a chance. I like it!

"Okay. You're next, Marill!" The camper yelled, sending out his second Pokémon. He has 3, so it shouldn't be too bad.

"Use Needle Arm again!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Bubble Beam!" His opponent yelled. Before Quilladin can land its devastating move, Marill prevented it by shooting with its watery special attack.

"Okay, use Rollout!" Sonic shouted.

"You use Rollout as well!" The camper shouted. Before a collision could be made...

"Up in the air!" Sonic screamed. Quilladin launches itself into the air, dodging Marill's attack.

"Now, use Needle Arm!" Sonic continued. And there we go. This battle is going by fast.

"Come on out, Cubone!" Sonic's opponent yelled, sending out his last Pokémon. Remember variety? These dudes will need to learn that...

"Okay, Quilladin! We got this! Let's—" Sonic started, only to see his Popplio escape from her Pokémon. She looks at Quilladin angrily and shoves him out of the way, then gets determined as she wants to battle.

"You wanna do this one, Popplio?" Sonic asked.

"Pop!" The sea lion replied, ready for this battle,

"Okay then! Use Water Gun!" Sonic shouted. Popplio shoots out a large jet stream of water, doing lots of damage.

"Cubone, use Bone Club!" The camper shouted.

"Counter with Sing!" Sonic exclaimed. Popplio songs it's calm song, and when Cubone got near, it fell asleep. I didn't fall asleep. It's not like it affects me much.

"Now use Pound!" Sonic yelled. And there we are. What else do I need to say? This battle is over. Sonic won once again.

"Even though I lost, I feel better now." The opponent said with a relived sigh.

"I'm glad you're better now." Sonic replied. Quilladin began to argue a bit with Popplio, saying that he could've handled it. Popplio responded by saying that she wants Sonic to focus on her more. I think Popplio might be jealous...

* * *

We make our way to some kind of graveyard. And it's name? Old Graveyard. I guess this place has been here for a while.

There would be some wild Pokémon that might come out to get us sometimes. Me? I'm not scared. You would barely even see me that way.

"This place looks pretty creepy." Sonic said.

"Word." I replied. It's a graveyard. It's supposed to be a little creepy. Still, I don't want either of us to get nervous.

I have an idea. It's been a while since I battled Sonic. Last time was at Gale Forest, when I got my necklace back from the IDIOTIC WOMAN KNOWN AS LINDA.

"Hey Sonic." I started. My friend turned to me.

"Wanna have another battle?" I asked.

"It's been a bit. Sure, why not? Let's do a single battle this time." Sonic said.

"Challenge accepted." I said with a smirk.

* * *

2nd battle against Sonic. Woo! This is gonna be cool.

"Go Popplio!" Sonic shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Once again, Popplio gets a bit determined so she can focus for her master. Ain't that a little too much? Eh, whatever.

"Alright... go, Nidorino!" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon. Neither of us have the advantage, but it'd be okay. Let's just see how things will turn out.

"Okay, start off with Poison Sting!" I commanded.

"Counter with Disarming Voice!" Sonic exclaimed. Both of these attacks make a collision, leaving a cloud of smoke from it.

"Very good start, Nidorino. Now use Peck!" I yelled. Nidorino runs again, horn huge, ready for attacks.

"Quick, dodge it!" Sonic shouted. Popplio does a little twirl as she swiftly dodges the attack. Well now! I'm impressed. Sonic has caught up a lot. Combos won't change anything since this isn't a double battle.

"Popplio, use Sing!" Sonic yelled.

"Oh no you don't! Nidorino, quickly! Use Double Kick!" I shouted. As Popplio begins to sing, Nidorino already hits it with its kicks. Sorry, Sonic. You gotta try harder. No singing ain't gonna stop me.

"Grr... use Pound!" Sonic exclaimed angrily. As much as I'd like to try and make my Pokémon dodge it, Popplio went a bit faster than before, mostly because it wants to impress Sonic.

"Hang in there, Nidorino! Poison Sting!" I yelled.

"Once again, use Disarming Voice!" Sonic shouted. The same thing happened before like at the beginning of this battle.

"Now use it again!" I screamed. Another Poison Sting lands this time, mostly it hit because Popplio couldn't see where it was coming from.

"Hm... use Water Gun!" Sonic yelled.

"Dodge it, and then use Peck!" I shouted. Popplio looked a bit too weak as it tried to stand up, but to no avail.

"QUICK, DODGE IT!" Sonic screamed. But it's too late. Popplio already took the hit, and she's down. Sonic walked over to his fainted partner.

"You did great, Popplio. I know you wanted to impress me." Sonic cooed. Popplio looks at her trainer with a sad face.

"I'll make sure you make up with Quilladin later on. But for now... get some rest." Sonic said, and then returns Popplio to her ball. Sonic walked back to me with a smirk.

"You're good, Nifty. It made since throughout all the battles we've been through." He said.

"I know. But it's not over yet. Let's just get back to this." I replied. Sonic pulls up another Poke Ball.

"You got it. Rockruff, go!" Sonic shouted, sending out his second Pokémon.

"Nidorino, use Double Kick!" I yelled.

"Block it with Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed. Countering a physical attack with a special attack I like it. News flash: it _worked._

"Okay, very good. Now use Peck!" I shouted.

"Use Bite!" Sonic yelled. Both start to get near each other.

"To the right!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff quickly turns to the right and lands it's attack while avoiding my Pokémon's attack. Wow! Most impressive.

"Hang in there, Nidorino! Use Poison Sting!" I exclaimed. Nidorino manages to pull off the move after getting up from the recent attack.

"Use Sand Attack!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff dusts it's sand cloud right at the opposite move, and then quickly dodges. The reason? Not too sure, but I think it's for slowing it down.

"Come on, Nidorino! What do you say we try and finish this one?" I ask. Nidorino nods.

"Rockruff, use Tackle!" Sonic yelled.

"Nidorino, use Double Kick!" I screamed. Once again, they get near each other.

"Now, Rockruff! JUMP!" Sonic screamed. Rockruff avoids the attack by jumping high into the air.

"Finish this with Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed. As much as I would make a last minute shout and tell my Pokémon to dodge the attack, well...

it's a bit too late for that. Nidorino is already done for. I got to say, I'm not really mad. I'm proud.

"Good job, Nidorino. We'll move on from here." I said as I returned my Poison type to his ball.

"It's up to you, Charmeleon!" I shouted, sending out my second Pokémon. Yes, I might have the disadvantage, but Charmeleon just learned Metal Claw earlier. Surely that counts for something, right?

"Start with Metal Claw!" I commanded. Charmeleon's claws turn a metallic gray and runs to Rockruff.

"Sand Attack!" Sonic shouted. Don't think I don't know about that strategy.

"Quick, dodge and then land the attack!" I yelled. Charmeleon dodges the sand and then slashes Rockruff with its claws. Super effective, holy crap! Let's see how things go from here.

"Grr... Rockruff, use Bite!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Counter with Ember!" I shouted. As Rockruff runs up to use its move, Charmeleon sends its usual small flame, but since it just evolved, the flame got a little bigger, which would mean that it would get more powerful.

But... Rockruff dodges the flame without Sonic telling him! WHAT?! I guess he's starting to trust Sonic. That's fine, as long as the Rockruff ain't around Kevin. Anyway, back to the battle. Rockruff lands its Bite attack.

"Quick, Charmeleon! Ember one more time!" I yelled.

"No, no, no. Rockruff, use Sand Attack!" Sonic exclaimed. Before Charmeleon could even start _using_ the move, Rockruff prevents it with more sand.

"Now, Rockruff! Use Rock Throw!" Sonic screamed. Rockruff runs back to Sonic as it prepares to use a super effective move. This is my chance!

"Charmeleon! Use Dragon Rage!" I screamed. Both the dragon cloud and circle of rocks land the attack. So, the question is... who fainted?

The answer? It was both of them. I never got through this yet. Crap, could I lose this match?

"Good job, Charmeleon. You did great out there. Get some rest." I said, then I return him to his ball.

"You did wonderful, Rockruff. You really are strong, so forget what Kevin says about you." Sonic complimented. Aw, that was nice. Rockruff looks at Sonic with a small smile before bing returned.

"This is it, Sonic. Let us see who wins this match." I said with a smirk.

"You got it!" Sonic exclaimed excitedly. Both of us are at our last Pokémon. Frogadier vs Quilladin. Once again, I have the disadvantage. But let's see how things turn out in this battle.

"Okay, Frogadier. Use Lick!" I shouted.

"Rollout!" Sonic commanded. Frogadier attempts to Lick, But Quilladin responds by rolling the fastest it can, hurting Frogadier's tongue in the process. OUCH! That's gotta leave a mark.

"Okay then. Use Water Pulse to trap him!" I yelled. Trapping right there is something Sonic wasn't ready for. Quilladin gets trapped inside the giant water orb.

"Break it apart with Quick Attack!" I exclaimed. Frogadier cuts the orb in half with its speed, doing damage from the Quick Attack AND from Water Pulse as well. Double damage, boi!

"Ooh. Quilladin, use Bite!" Sonic shouted.

"Use Lick!" I yelled. I got a plan from what I just saw from Sonic.

"Now dodge the bite!" I continued. Frogadier turns around quickly, and dodges Quilladin's attack so Frogadier Can land his move. Yes! Direct hit! Unfortunately we got no paralysis. But that's fine. Only one way to find out now, who wins this battle.

"Frogadier! Finish this with Quick Attack!" I yelled.

"Quilladin, use Needle Arm!" Sonic screamed. And boom. Both attacks collide, and smoke appears in front of the field. We look nervously on how might've won this one.

So far, both of our Pokémon seem to be alright. Quilladin stumbles, did I win again?!

Frogadier begins to fall, and it faints as it hit the ground. Nope, I didn't win. Sonic... you did awesome.

"Oh my gosh. We did it!" Sonic cheered. He ran up to his Quilladin and they begin to cheer together. I'm not even angry at all. I look at Sonic with a proud smile. I look at my Frogadier, who looks weakened. I stare at him with the same smile.

"You did great out there, Frogadier. Once we get to the next city, we'll continue our adventure from here." I said. Frogadier winks and smiles, despite being weakened from that battle. I chuckle with him, and then return my starter to his ball.

I approach Sonic, who is still cheering. Not in a bragging kind of way, definitely not.

"Good job, Sonic. Congrats on your first win against me." I said.

"Thank you, Nifty! That was an amazing battle." Sonic responded. I nod in agreement, it was a cool battle.

"Let's leave this graveyard after we heal our Pokémon." I suggested.

"Good idea." Sonic agreed. Once again, Popplio comes out of her ball and boasts a bit in front of Quilladin. Both begin to argue again, especially Popplio who claims that she is better for wanting to impress her trainer. Oh Arceus...

"Both of you did good." Sonic said with a light laugh. Both Quilladin and Popplio just look at Sonic and nod.

* * *

We are outside the graveyard. We healed our Pokémon for a bit, and it's all good.

This time, we go the other way once we reached the branch: left. I see another trainer up ahead. I guess Sonic will do the honors since he won the battle. Luckily, our Pokémon are healed so we don't have to black out and rush to the Pokémon Center.

"This way leads to Brimber City. Before you and your friend go, would you mind having a battle with me?" The male hiker asked. Sonic looks at me, and I nod at him.

"Sure." Sonic replied.

* * *

This is it. I watch this battle, and when Sonic wins (which I know will happen), we're off to the next city, which the hiker said is called Brimber City.

"Go, Geodude!" The hiker shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. The guy has 3 Pokémon. Just like Sonic. Just oughta be easy since Sonic has 2 of his 3 That has the advantage against Geodude.

"Come on out, Quilladin!" Sonic shouted, sending out his starter. Alright, here goes. Sonic is obviously gonna win this.

"Needle Arm." Sonic said bluntly. Due to Geodude's pretty low speed, it couldn't dodge the attack. So, BAM. It's a freaking OHKO.

And then, what is his next Pokémon he sends out? Another Geodude... Wow. Just wow.

"Okay, we got this, Quilladin! Let's—" Sonic started, but once again got interrupted when Popplio comes out of her ball again. She pushes Quilladin out of the way and gets ready for this battle.

"I guess Popplio might be a bit jealous of Quilladin." I said with a laugh.

"Okay then. Popplio, use Water Gun!" Sonic shouted. Geodude took a lot of damage. However, unlike the last time, Geodude survived thanks to its ability, Sturdy.

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" The hiker yelled. Geodude forms a rock and throws it at Popplio. However, the sea lion used a new move to block it. Next thing I saw, the rock became icy and it fell to the floor. Icy Wind. Not bad.

"Ooh, 2 new moves!" Sonic exclaimed excitedly.

"Use them to finish it, Sonic!" I yelled.

"You got it! Popplio, use Aqua Jet!" Sonic shouted. Popplio surrounds itself with water and it jets towards Geodude at full speed.

"Quick, use Defense Curl!" The opponent yelled. As much as Geodude would use that to block it, it was already too late. The second Geodude is down.

"It's up to you, Hippopotas!" The hiker shouted, sending out his last Pokémon. A pure Ground type. Alright, this would be too easy for Sonic. Even for me it would be easy, because I have Frogadier. Once the hiker's Pokémon came out, it whipped up a sandstorm with its ability, Sand Stream. This might be bad. Sandstorms can sting the eyes... that is, unless the Pokémon is a Ground, Rock, or Steel type. But Sonic has neither of those.

"Popplio, use Water Gun!" Sonic shouted. Hippopotas barely dodged it simply because Popplio has a little tough time seeing due to the sandstorm.

"Use Tackle!" The hiker yelled.

"Quick, counter with Aqua Jet!" Sonic screamed. Both attacks collide, but Hippopotas falls since Aqua Jet was much stronger.

"Now, Popplio! Finish this with Icy Wind!" Sonic exclaimed. Popplio blows a white mist from its mouth, and Hippopotas gets a frozen from that, but the Ground type is already down, so no need for anything else.

"Wow, that was fast. You must be in a hurry." The hiker complimented. Not really, dude. You're probably just wondering is all.

"Not exactly, but we're on our way to the next city." Sonic said.

* * *

We made our way through the small patch of tall grass, and even under the bridge as we kept walking. Up ahead, we see the tunnel to Brimber City.

"Here we go, Sonic." I said with my usual smirk.

"Brimber City, here we come!" Sonic exclaimed. But before we can get in the tunnel and get there...

"Wait up!" A voice shouted. We turn around, and we see none other than Jake.

"I finally caught up ti you! When did you get so fast?" Jake wondered.

"Some weird kid gave us these Running Shoes, and then he disappeared after he got in a cage when he gave us the shoes." I explained. Jake looked at me confused, but then shrugged it off.

"Anyways, let's have another battle!" Jake exclaimed. Ooh, okay! I mean, I did lose against Sonic, but I'm sure I got this. Luckily, my Pokémon are healed.

"Let's do it, Jake!" I responded.

"After getting the Arc Badge, I feel like my Pokémon are a lot tougher this time!" Jake said.

"So did mine. Don't expect anything too easy, Jake." I teased.

* * *

Here we go! Second battle against Jake.

"Come on out, Eevee!" Jake shouted, sending out his starter. Just like before, I'm gonna make this a starter vs starter battle. As much as I'd like to use Nidorino since he has Double Kick, I wanted to make this battle more momentous.

"Go, Frogadier!" I shouted, sending out _my_ starter. Both of our Pokémon look at each other with a smile. I wonder which evolution Jake would pick for his Eevee? There's a bunch of different kinds!

"Frogadier, start off with Pound!" I shouted.

"Eevee, use Swift!" Jake exclaimed. Eevee swifts its tail and sends out a bunch of stars at my Frogadier.

"Dodge!" I shouted. It was almost half a second for one dodge, Jake couldn't keep up. Of course, Frogadier lands its attack. Not much, but it did okay damage.

"WHAAAAAA?!" Jake screamed, still confused by the sudden dodge.

"I forgot to mention Frogadier got a massive speed boost when it evolved at the Silvent City gym." I said with a smirk.

"W-Well, it's time I take the initiative. Eevee, use Quick Attack!" Jake yelled.

"Counter with your Quick Attack!" I shouted. Both collide. What else- oh, you get it. None took damage from this.

"Quick Attack one more time!" I exclaimed. Frogadier is near Eevee...

"Eevee, use Baby-Doll Eyes." Jake said. Eevee gives Frogadier a cute look, and it ended up with the Quick Attack doing less damage than usual.

"Now, Eevee! Swift once again!" Jake screamed. Eevee sends its star attack again.

"Frogadier! Water Pulse!" I yelled. Frogadier counters the stars with the usual giant water orb. It was much more powerful, so Eevee taken the hit. Plus, Water Pulse is a Special Attack, so it didn't affect the damage.

Jake returns his Eevee and pulls out another Poke Ball.

"Go, Blitzle!" Jake shouted, sending out his second Pokémon. An Electric type? Jake, you _do_ realize I just beat an Electric type gym... right? Maybe he did it for a reason, I dunno.

"Frogadier, return." I said, putting my starter back in his ball.

"Type disadvantage. I get it, Nifty." Jake teased. I don't like that. Don't count me out just yet, DUDE.

"I just wanted a little switch out, because why not?" I said.

"I can't wait to see who else you caught!" Jake exclaimed.

"Remember back at the lab?" I asked. Jake remembered tat moment, and so did I.

 _-flashback-_

 _"I would like to purchase another starter, please." I said._

 _"Sure thing. Go ahead and pick one you also want." David replied. I ended up also picking Charmander, a fire lizard Pokémon with a little fire in the top of its tail. How can I not pick this guy as well? It was between Froakie and Charmander, I just can't pick only one! Once I picked my 2nd starter, I gave David 25 Robux, the other currency in Roria aside from Pokedollars. I go through the introduction process again, and Charmander decided to sit on my shoulder. Sonic looked a bit surprised by this._

"Heh, looks like Nifty is getting a head start on a full team." _He thought._

 _-end flashback-_

"You had a second starter!" Jake yelled.

"And now's the time to show it. Go get 'em, Charmeleon!" I shouted, sending out my _other_ starter.

"Back to the battle. Blitzle, use Charge!" Jake exclaimed. Blitzle began charging power, raising its Special Defense.

"Okay, Charmeleon, use Metal Claw!" I shouted. Blitzle took the hit, but it didn't do much damage. I wasn't expecting much anyway.

"Blitzle, use Shock Wave!" Jake yelled. Blitzle sends out a wave of lightning bolts that circles around Blitzle and goes all out.

"Use Metal Claw to jump into the air!" I exclaimed. Charmeleon digs its metallic gray claws into the ground, and then gives himself a boost to be in the air.

"Now use Ember!" I continued. Blitzle takes the hit from the small flame. It tried to dodge, not successful.

"Grr... use Quick Attack!" Jake shouted.

"Dragon Rage." I said. As Blitzle runs to Charmeleon for a fast attack, Charmeleon blocks it with a very powerful move. Blitzle is down. No exceptions.

"Woah... I can't keep up, Nifty! You're so strong!" Jake complimented as he returns Blitzle to its ball.

"Yeah, I am. Thanks, Jake." I said.

"But I still have one more. Go, Nidoran!" Jake shouted, sending out his last Pokémon. The Nidoran is male. Not bad, but I also have another one to show you.

"Charmeleon, return." I said as I returned my second starter to his ball.

"Your last Pokémon I presume?" Jake asked.

"Indeed. Let's do this, Nidorino!" I shouted, sending out my last Pokémon. Jake got surprised, since he knew I also got a male Nidoran, and that _I_ was the one to evolve it faster. Yeah, this ain't working out for ya, buddy.

"PECK!" Both of us shout in unison. Nidorino's was more powerful since he is the evolution. Nidoran gets hurt from the damage pretty easily. What else could be said?

"Nidoran, use Focus Energy!" Jake yelled. Nidoran gets pumped up, getting a higher chance to prevail on a move.

"Poison Sting!" I shouted.

"You use Poison Sting as well!" Jake screamed. Both attacks collide, but then before Jake could react...

"Peck once more!" I added. Nidoran couldn't see the second move coming from Nidorino, and it got hurt from it as a result.

"NOW! DOUBLE KICK!" Jake and I screamed in unison. Once again, Nidorino prevails as the alpha. Despite being a not very effective move, Nidoran is down. That was a bit easy. Still... good job, Jake.

"You're still a better trainer!" Jake complimented.

"Thanks." I said with a smile.

* * *

Both of us return our Pokémon back to their balls. We look at each other, happy about the battle we had.

"Brimber City should be just through this gate. The have a Pokémon Gym there, too." Jake said.

"Really? Well, thanks for the heads up!" I replied.

"We should also ask around and see if anyone knows anything about Team Eclipse while we're here." Jake continued. Oh yeah. Team Eclipse. The only one of these members I saw was you-know-who. I CAN'T EVEN BE BOTHERED TO SAY HER NAME ANYMORE.

"Good idea, Jake. We're gonna find my parents and bring them back." I said as I pump my fist.

"I'm gonna head over to the Pokémon Center and heal my Pokémon!" Jake said with a cheery smile. I nod.

"I was just about to do the same thing!" I responded.

"See you later!" Jake said as he waved, then proceeded to go through the tunnel to Brimber City. I smirk, and then I look at Sonic.

"You ready?" I ask.

"Let's go in, Nifty!" Sonic replied.

* * *

And now we are here. Brimber City. It doesn't look too bad. There's a giant volcano called Mt. Igneus that hasn't erupted in years, so the city is safe and most things being generated by the volcano.

"Nifty, Sonic, quick! Over here!" Jake shouted. He screamed in a worried tone. Uh oh! This doesn't sound good...

Sonic and I walked over to Jake, and we see another person as well. This person had white skin and black, spiky hair, along with wings on the side. He had a white t-shirt with a black jacket, and he also had some light blue jeans and white shoes. I wonder who this other person is?

"Who is this?" I asked.

"This is the Gym Leader of the Brimber City Gym.," Jake replied, "I just ran into him as I walked into town."

Wow! We already met up with the Gym Leader! That's pretty dang cool.

Jake turned to the Gym Leader.

"Would it be OK if we stopped by the gym later today for a challenge?" Jake asked.

"I'm sorry, but the gym is closed for right now." The Gym Leader replied. Wow. That's a shame, it really is. I needed to get stronger in order to save my parents.

"Why can we not go in?" Sonic asked.

"Earlier this morning, something terrible happened." The Gym Leader responded.

"Tell us please. We would like to know." I said.

"A group of bandits known as Team Eclipse raided my gym and stole a priceless artifact." The Brimber City Gym Leader explained. Wait, did he just say Team Eclipse? WE'RE GONNA STOP THEM.

"What exactly did they steal?" Jake asked.

"It is called the Red Orb," The Gym Leader replied, "The Red Orb has been passed down for generations in my family."

I heard about the Red Orb before! It could be used to summon a legendary Pokémon!

"A long time ago, my ancestors, when passing through this valley, found the Red Orb inside the volcano," The Brimber Gym Leader explained, "Legend has it that the Red Orb is used to awaken a sleeping Pokémon within the volcano. Supposedly, the Pokémon's power is tremendous enough to cause the volcano to erupt. I'm not much of a believer in legends, but if this were true, this entire city and half of Roria. I don't think Team Eclipse realizes that. I believe they're just after the legendary Pokémon."

"Those idiots... they're so done for..." I mumbled.

"Until I know more, it is unsafe to practice battling inside the gym." The Gym Leader finalized. Jake turned to me.

"Nifty, if Team Eclipse is nearby, maybe they'll have your parents. We have to go look for them!" He said. You don't say?

"I guess we're gonna have to go there then. Team Eclipse is gonna go down." I exclaimed.

"Team Eclipse is a dangerous group," The black-haired Gym Leader warned, "It's not wise to go after them, but I'm not going to stop you."

"Dude, I dealt with many dangerous stuff before. I encountered a Team Eclipse member and I beat her in a battle. Now I know she's going to burn in hell." I said with a teasingly evil smile. Everyone just looks at me as if they're scared.

"Sorry. Was that too much?" I asked.

"No, it's fine. Just please... let it go for now." Sonic said. I nodded, not wanting to make my friends scared of me. Jake turned to the Gym Leader again.

"Which way did they go?" Jake asked. The Gym Leader stopped and pointed at another tunnel to his right.

"They were headed towards Route 6. Route 6 leads to the entrance in the side of the volcano." He replied.

"That's good to know." Sonic said. The Gym Leader turned to me again.

"Whatever you decide to do, please be careful." He told me.

"You got it, homie." I said with a wink.

"Before I do anything, I'm gonna get my Pokémon healed." Jake said with a sheepish laugh.

"Yeah, you do that." I said.

"Nifty, Sonic, you two go ahead and try and find Team Eclipse. I'll try and meet up with you later." Jake added, and then went inside the Pokémon Center. The Gym Leader looked at me and nodded.

"Let's go ahead, Sonic. Quick trip to the Pokémon Center, and then we fight Team Eclipse." I said.

"Let's go save your parents!" Sonic shouted, and then both of us went inside the Pokémon Center. Could Team Eclipse have my parents inside the volcano at this very moment...? I'm not too sure.

* * *

 **A/N: HOLY CRAP, THIS TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO MAKE :0. My Internet isn't really being the best today, so I finished this on my computer since it has better Internet connection. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and I'll see you next time for more of the Admin Story. :)**


	5. The Situation at Mt Igneus

**It really has been a while since working on this, right? Welp, summer is almost over, so we gotta make last. Also, I know a lot of PBB fans miss this game when it got shut down. With that out of the way, let's begin! :)**

* * *

The gym in Brimber City is closed. The Gym Leader told Sonic and I that Team Eclipse stole the Red Orb. So you know what? Without many more interruptions, we are going to Route 6 and stopping Team Eclipse for succeeding in their devious plan.

"Let's go, Sonic." I said.

"Okay." Sonic replied. And we make our way to Route 6. What could we expect later on when we get there?

* * *

This next Route kinda looks like Route 5. Once again, there are only two ways to go. Hmm, which one shall we go in this time?

"I'm suggesting we go left since there are torches by the wall." I said.

"Good idea, Nifty." Sonic responded. And we see a small patch of tall grass ahead as well. But of course, we encounter another trainer. These guys sure like to battle.

"If your Pokémon get burned by a Fire type Pokémon, your physical attack power will be cut in half. I need to remember to pick up some Burn Heals when I'm in town again." The trainer said.

"Well, I _do_ have one, so... would mine count?" I asked. Still, I KNOW all this. I ain't no procrastinator.

* * *

"Go, Venonat!" The Bug catcher shouted, sending out his only Pokémon. Venonat is all you have? Okay, whatever. I'll defeat you pretty easily.

"Go, Charmeleon. You got this." I said. I sent out my Fire type starter. He literally gave me a hint of what he's afraid of for his Pokémon: fire.

"Use Ember!" I commanded. Smack! Super effective! But what? It's not down?! That is one bulky Venonat.

Wait a minute... FREAKING HELL! I got lucky.

Venonat is burned. How can I tell? It's outlined in a bright red, so it's taking damage periodically.

"Quick! Venonat, use Confusion!" My opponent screamed. Venonat's eyes turn a light blue and lifts Charmeleon up in the air, but then...

It let go and Charmeleon was put back down gently. Venonat just fainted from the burn. Yeah, definitely luck.

"I'm gonna need a Burn Heal because I just got roasted." The bug catcher said.

"Good idea." I replied.

* * *

Well, that wasn't too bad. Give me a challenge next time, aight?

Tall grass shouldn't be enough of a problem. I actually purchased a couple Great Balls right before I left to the next Route. After all, I'll need a good team in order to stop Team Eclipse. As I began walking along the tall grass...

"Rhy!" A Pokémon shouted. Ooh, it's a Rhyhorn!

"Oh, I'm so gonna catch you. Go Nidorino!" I yelled as I sent out my Pokémon. It's perfect as well. Simply put, I don't wanna use Frogadier since he can accidentally defeat the Rhyhorn, and I don't wanna use Charmeleon since he is weak to Rock and Ground type moves.

"Nidorino, use Poison Sting!" I shouted. Rhyhorn gets hit by the attack. Not very effective, very little damage. I gotta make sure I don't defeat it, but I'll lower its HP enough so I can catch it.

Rhyhorn runs towards Nidorino and attacks it with his horn. Horn Attack! Not bad for a level 10. I always make sure I check the levels of my Pokémon.

"Good job! Now use Peck!" I exclaimed. Nidorino attacks with its horn soon after, it did a couple more greater damage. Rhyhorn begins to attack again. This time, it's Fury Attack.

"Dodge it, and then use Double Kick!" I screamed. Look at that, two of that one attack, and Rhyhorn is struggling to get up. Yes, this is my chance! Don't run on me now!

"Go Great Ball!" I yelled as I threw the ball. Rhyhorn gets sucked in. Now we gotta wait for if he'll escape it.

One shake...

Two shakes...

Three...

Click!

Yes! Another member on my team!

"Alright! I caught a Rhyhorn!" I shouted, and my Nidorino cheers with me.

"Good job, Nifty!" Sonic said.

"Thanks. I guess I'll have him do the next trainer battle. He'll help me with defeating Team Eclipse, just like the rest of us." I replied. This time, we see a female with a gray shirt and a pink sweatshirt and jeans ahead of us. Perfect. This'll be a chance to try out my new Pokémon.

"I heard the volcano here hasn't erupted in a long time. Supposedly, there's an incredible Pokémon asleep in the volcano that could make it erupt. That's just a story my grandpa used to tell me." She said.

"I did hear that a couple times." I replied.

"Enough stories though. Let's battle." The girl continued.

* * *

"Come on and get him, Ponyta!" The lass shouted, sending out her first Pokémon. Perfect! I'll have the advantage.

"Go, Rhyhorn!" I shouted, sending out my new Pokémon. Let's see how this guy does in battle.

"Use Flame Wheel!" My opponent yelled. Ponyta curls itself up into a ball and starts surrounding itself with fire, and charges right at Rhyhorn.

"Dodge!" I exclaimed. Perfect timing, Rhyhorn dodges the attack.

"Now, use Horn Attack!" I commanded. Rhyhorn charges full speed, attacking Ponyta with its small but deadly horn. Awesome.

"Ugh, use Ember!" The lass yelled. Ponyta shoots out a small flame.

However, I let Rhyhorn take the hit. He doesn't even look hurt from the attack.

"You get my cool strategy now, Rhyhorn?" I ask. My Pokémon looks at me and nods. I guess Pokémon love me, because this guy already trusts me.

"Rhyhorn, use Fury Attack!" I screamed. Rhyhorn attacks Ponyta multiple times. 5 times exactly. Holy crap! That was lucky! Ponyta is down. That was an easy battle, but this girl has one more Pokémon.

"Go, Teddiursa!" She yelled, sending out her last Pokémon. I look at my Pokédex, and it seems like Rhyhorn has already learned a new move. That's a lot of dang EXP! I guess maybe it's the trust, I don't know.

"Okay, try it out. Use Smack Down!" I shouted. Rhyhorn sends out a small rock, and once it hits Teddiursa, the rock smashes it onto the ground. Neat.

"Use Scratch!" The lass exclaimed.

"Counter with Horn Attack!" I shouted. Teddiursa didn't get to attack. Rhyhorn was too powerful for such a move. Yep, Team Eclipse is so done for. Anyway, Teddiursa is down. Once again, I won this battle.

"I'm not telling anyone about the story of our fight." The girl whined.

"You don't have to." I suggested.

* * *

Easy much? Ugh. At least I'm gaining some progress. Moving on. Sonic and I get through a couple more patches of tall grass. No wild Pokémon attacked us, so that's good. Looks like we see another trainer dressed in blue up ahead.

"Sonic, would you like to do this?" I asked.

"Sure." Sonic replied. As we walk forward, the blue guy notices us.

"I heard there are some rare Pokémon ahead in the cave. My only problem is that I'm terrified of caves. Can I see your Pokémon instead?" He asked. Dude, the way you just said that. If that was me there, how exactly would I tell if you're a Team Eclipse member in DISGUISE?

"You'll get to see them in battle." Sonic responded.

* * *

I really hope this guy ain't in disguise...

"Go, Zubat!" The blue trainer shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. He has 3. Shouldn't be that hard.

"Come out, Rockruff!" Sonic shouted, sending out his Pokémon. Good things you have the advantage. It's always good to have that.

"Rockruff, use Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed. Zubat takes the attack of the many small rocks. Lots of damage! Not enough to take him down though.

"Zubat, use Leech Life!" The opponent yelled. Zubat approaches Rockruff with sharp teeth.

"Counter with Sand Attack!" Sonic commanded. Rockruff throws sand, and Zubat stops its attack.

"Now use Bite." Sonic continued. WHAM! Right on the head! Zubat is down.

"Go on, my second Zubat!" The blue guy shouted, sending out his second Pokémon. Really? Zubat ain't the best Pokémon, but at least its final evolution is cool.

"Ugh... use Rock Throw." Sonic said bluntly. Unlike the last time, this Zubat goes down in one hit. Rockruff's throws are getting much faster, so Zubat couldn't really dodge even if it tried.

"Patrat! You're up!" Sonic's opponent shouted, sending out his last Pokémon. Still not good enough though...

"Rockruff, return." Sonic said, sending Rockruff back.

"You sure, Sonic?" I asked.

"Yes, I want to give Popplio a chance as well." Sonic replied. And just after he said that, Popplio comes out. Looks like someone wants to impress again.

"Popplio, use Water Gun!" Sonic shouted. Another jet stream of water, and Patrat is almost down. Nice job, Sonic. For some reason, the opposing trainer didn't say to attack yet. Why?

"If the opponent ain't gonna attack, we'll take it from here! Use Aqua Jet!" Sonic exclaimed. Popplio surrounds itself with water again, and at full force, charges right at Patrat.

"Use Bide!" The blue guy yelled. Oh, so _that's_ why he didn't attack! For Patrat to use Bide and take the hit.

"UNLEASH!" Blue person screamed.

"Quick, block it with Icy Wind!" Sonic shouted in a worried tone. Just in time, Popplio freezes Patrat with its ice attack.

"Yes! You did it, Popplio! Now let's finish it!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Pop!" The sea lion barked happily. Then it glows. Yes, another evolution! Now, the newly evolved Popplio has a lighter blue skin, and its ears grew bigger with a white round tip at the end. It also grew much bigger, and has some kind of dress around it as well as its tail growing larger.

Brionne.

Awesome evolution.

"Yay! Now, Brionne, use Disarming Voice!" Sonic yelled. Once Patrat gets free from the ice, Brionne yells its heart beam to defeat her opponent. Yeah! Nice job, Sonic! That's why evolution is so freaking cool!

"Wow, your Pokémon are really nice." The blue student complimented. Ok, that's some proof. I guess I'll let the disguise thing go.

"Why, thank you!" Sonic said.

* * *

It's up ahead. The entrance to Mt. Igneus.

"Yep, we're going in." I said. But just before we could go in...

"Stop right there, fools!" A man shouted. This man had black hair and some kind of orange and black uniform with a moon on the middle, like during some kind of solar or lunar eclipse. Wait...

Is this a member of Team Eclipse?!

"Why stop?" I asked coldly.

"Nobody's allowed to go past here. Team Eclipse will not allow intruders." The man replied. Plus, this dude does not look happy.

"Oh Arceus..." I groaned as I rolled my eyes.

"What, you two won't leave?" The rude guy asked.

"Of course not! I'm not gonna listen to a single word you say!" I yelled.

"Then I guess we're going to have to battle." The Eclipse Grunt continued.

"Wait!" Sonic exclaimed.

"What's up, dude?" I asked.

"Let me help on this battle. I don't wanna leave you left out against Team Eclipse." Sonic responded.

"Oh, so you wanna make this a double battle? Very well then!" The Eclipse member said.

"You're going down!" I threatened.

* * *

Ok, here goes. My first battle against an Eclipse member... besides Linda. WHY THE FREAK DID I MENTION HER NAME.

"Come on out, my Pokémon!" The Eclipse Grunt shouted. His two Pokémon were a Poochyena and a Zubat. Oh, you're so dead. Sonic and I will defeat you easily.

"Go!" Both of us shouted in unison. I sent out Rhyhorn and Sonic sent out his newly evolved Brionne.

"Zubat, use Leech Life on Rhyhorn! Poochyena, use Tackle on Brionne!" The Eclipse Grunt yelled. When Zubat attacks, Rhyhorn just pushes him out of the way. Basically my new Rock and Ground type Pokémon is disappointed by the weak skill of the Zubat.

Brionne actually went flying a little, but it didn't take any damage when it landed, since it did a twirl and landed on her feet, showing off against the Eclipse Grunt.

"Rhyhorn, use Smack Down on Zubat!" I commanded.

"Brionne, use Aqua Jet on Poochyena!" Sonic shouted. Rhyhorn easily lands his attack. Zubat was too easy to defeat.

Somehow, the Poochyena was still alive from the attack. Eh, we still got this.

"Grr... use Bite on Brionne!" The Eclipse member screamed. The tiny wolf begins to approach...

"Horn Attack." I said bluntly. Shablam! Poochyena didn't see it coming. Nice try, Team Eclipse. You got no match against us.

"This isn't good. Don't try anything funny!" The Eclipse Grunt threatened.

I just shrugged and Sonic laughed with me.

* * *

Even after the Eclipse Grunt lost, he blocks the entrance. Coward!

"What are you doing?!" I screamed.

"I'm still not letting you in. I cannot let you idiots ruin our plan." The evil team member replied.

"You..." Sonic said. I put my hand in front of my friend, telling him to let me handle it.

I approach the Eclipse Grunt with a blunt look, and then I give him a fake surprised look.

"*gasp*, There's something on your face!" I said with a fake surprised accent. I slap the Eclipse Grunt the hardest I can, making him fall to the floor.

"IT WAS PAIN!" I continued with an evil smirk (Do you get the reference?). Sonic looked at me confused, and a bit scared at the same time.

"What?" I said.

"Why did you do that?" Sonic asked.

"He still didn't give in, I had no other choice." I replied. I'll admit something. I'm usually a pretty relaxed guy, but once someone gets on my nerves, they won't like what happens next. Sonic still stares at me. I give up...

"Whatever. Let's just go in." I said, and then I enter the volcano, with Sonic following behind me.

* * *

Out of all the things I wanted to do in my life, entering a volcano was NOT one of them. Still, the inside of Mt. Igneus looks pretty cool. And dark.

The wild Pokémon here are all Fire types. Not that I would care though.

"So, it does look like Team Eclipse would do something here." Sonic said.

"Indeed. Let's make sure we get the Red Orb back before it's too late." I responded. As we kept walking along, minding our own business, we encounter another Team Eclipse Grunt. Same look as the last one.

"Hey, how did you get past the guard outside?" He asked.

"By slapping him." I replied bluntly. Sonic was still confused on why I did that earlier. Dude, I had no other choice!

"You know, it really doesn't surprise me. He was weak in my opinion." The Grunt said. Oh yeah? Name one person who you know got slapped by someone before in their life. Tell me now.

"All donations go to Team Valor. Sign up now." I teased. Still, I want to see if my wish can come true.

"You will not beat me, though." The Eclipse Grunt warned.

"Correction: _We_ will beat you though." I said, smirking. I look at Sonic, and he nods at me. It's on, Team Eclipse.

* * *

Let's do this.

"Go Slugma!" My Eclipse opponent shouted, sending out his (only?) Pokémon. Really, dude? Slugma is all you have? Ugh, I'll have to make this a single battle then. Already, this member is lame.

"Since he only has one, let me handle it, Sonic." I said.

"Okay, Nifty. Good luck." Sonic replied. Now the battle REALLY begins.

"Come out, Frogadier!" I shouted, sending out my starter. I'll let Rhyhorn have another chance. I'll make this fast.

"Water Pulse." I said. Nice try. Slugma is already almost down. Hmph, it's confused as well.

"Slugma, attack!" The Eclipse Grunt commanded. Slugma ended up hitting himself and fainted. Wow. You were easier than the last guy. You're more lame. No, BOTH of you are really lame.

"Wow, you suck." I responded.

"What happened? My Pokémon must not be having a good day." The Grunt confessed. No, it's because you suck. One Pokémon? Ha! Gimme a break...

* * *

Team Eclipse ain't really impressive. So far, they're just... not so good at battling. I mean that was said with a lot of seriousness.

I wonder who is next to battle me? More likely they would get rekt. Sonic and I see a lava pool up ahead, and there's a slope that goes upward. Look, another Eclipse Grunt by the start of the slope! He wears some kind of workers hat on his head, so his hair doesn't show. Ok, let's get this over with.

"I was told to wait here and escort out any intruders." He said as he pointed at us.

"We made it this far. Don't make me laugh." I said sarcastically.

"If you won't leave on your own, then I will have to force you out after I beat you in a battle." The Eclipse Grunt shouted.

"Let's get him, Sonic." I said.

* * *

Don't try to impress me or anything like that. I'm just saying.

"GO!" The Grunt shouted, sending out two Pokémon. The two Pokémon turned out to be a (yet another) Zubat and a Grimer. Two Poison types. Yeah, this will be easy. This Grunt should've seen the Pokémon I caught earlier.

"Go, Rhyhorn!" I shouted.

"Let's go, Rockruff!" Sonic shouted, both of us sending out our Pokémon. Okay, we both have Rock types on our team. Get ready, Team Eclipse. Even further on you will be defeated easily.

"Zubat, use Wing Attack! Grimer, use Sludge!" Eclipse Grunt yelled. You still didn't pick a target, dude. But it looks like Zubat is heading for my Rhyhorn while Grimer attacks Rockruff.

"Rhyhorn, use Stomp." I said. Rhyhorn jumps in the air to avoid the attack, and drops down, stomping right on Zubat. Wow, it's already down. I guess considering Rhyhorn's weight and Zubat's size, I could see why. Meanwhile...

"Counter with Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff grows its rock bunch, and it destroys the poison attack.

"Great job! Now use Bite!" Sonic continued. Nearly down! Awesome job!

"Wanna end it with a combo?" I asked.

"Sure." Sonic replied. Get ready. For a Rock move combo attack! The Team Eclipse Grunt looks worried, as if he doesn't know what to do next.

"Rockruff, use Rock Throw again!" Sonic screamed. The rocks get closer...

"Now Rhyhorn! Use Smack Down to speed up and power the move!" I added. Rhyhorn sends its own big rock, and just like that, Grimer is down.

"Would you two leave if I asked you nicely?" The Eclipse Grunt asked.

"No. Not even close." I replied.

* * *

We must be getting close to wherever this plan is taking place. Walking along this path, and we see some kind of tunnel on the right. I look closer, and it looks like we need a certain move in order to get farther into it. Anyway... another Eclipse Grunt stands in our way.

"Let's go, Sonic." I said, and my friend nods with me. Speaking of, where is Jake? He said he'd meet with us by now! Eh, we still got this. We made it this far.

The Grunt spots us.

"Team Eclipse will achieve its goal!" He yelled.

"Yeah, no." I said.

"We will not allow brats like you to get in our way." The Grunt continued.

"We're gonna stop you." Sonic responded.

"Prepare to be driven out!" Eclipse member shouted. Good luck, you'll need it.

* * *

Let's see who this guy has.

"Go Ekans!" He shouted, sending out his (once again only?) Pokémon. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?! Oh my Arceus. Team Eclipse, please tell some of your Grunts to have more than one Pokémon. Please.

"Sonic, you wanna get this guy?" I asked.

"Leave it to me." Sonic responded. I would go ahead to use Rhyhorn, but he doesn't know a Ground type move yet.

"Let's go, Brionne!" Sonic yelled, sending out his Water type. Go get em!

"Use Aqua Jet!" Sonic continued. Brionne, full speed attack right at Ekans. Excellent! That was impressive.

"Ekans, use Wrap!" The Eclipse member shouted. Ekans slithers over to Brionne.

"Quick, use Icy Wind!" Sonic screamed. Luckily, Ekans gets frozen in time from the attack.

"Great, now use Water Gun!" Sonic added. And from that water beam... yep, it's over. Eclipse idiot...

"I am just a pawn in Team Eclipse's grand scheme." The Grunt confessed. No wonder you're a Grunt.

"We will prevail in the end." The guy continued.

"No, because we're going to stop you." I teased.

* * *

Almost there! I wonder how far we are? Close, because I can see another tunnel, and another Eclipse Grunt with black hair is by it. We defeat this guy, we'll stop their plan.

"Our plan is almost in effect now. I'm afraid you will miss the show after I beat you in a battle." He warned.

"Let's find out, shall we?" I wondered.

* * *

Okay, I hope this guy doesn't only have one. All these Grunts are lame. Our current Eclipse Grunt is ready, but what will his Pokémon be?

"STOP THESE FOOLS!" He screamed, sending out two of three Pokémon. I checked my Pokédex, don't worry. Let's see who these two are. Two Numels?! Oh. My. Freaking. Arceus. You're so dead.

"Counter him, Frogadier!" I shouted, sending out my starter.

"Help out, Brionne!" Sonic shouted, sending out his Pokémon.

"Numels! ATTAAAAAACK!" The Grunt screamed. The two just run up to us.

"Water Pulse." I said bluntly.

"Water Gun." Sonic added. Bam. Two water attacks, and they're down. Yeah, none of you guys are good at battling! You should look at yourself, seriously.

"Crap. Go Zubat!" The Grunt exclaimed, sending out his last Pokémon. I looked at Sonic and nodded, aiming for another combo.

"Frogadier, use Water Pulse one more time!" I yelled.

"And Brionne, fill it up more with Water Gun!" Sonic shouted. Water Pulse is shot out, and Brionne makes it bigger with Water Gun.

"NO! Dodge it, Zubat!" The Eclipse Grunt exclaimed. Too late. Zubat is down, he got hit by the attack. You didn't stand a chance.

"Well, maybe you will get to witness our plan after all." Our Eclipse opponent said.

"And we will end it here." I said with a smirk.

* * *

We go inside the next entrance in the volcano, and we see something intense about to happen, I just know it. We climb over some kind of rock that is there for some reason, and we get closer to this "plan".

We see 3 Eclipse Grunts, and another one who might be an Eclipse Admin. This Admin had red, spiky hair, and some kind of red face mask to prevent his mouth from being seen. He had slightly different clothing from the Grunts, and of course, he does NOT look happy. Dang. Not only that, the Admin is by some kind of pedestal. What could it be used for?

"Oh, hello there. You two are just in time for the show." The Admin said.

"You idiot. You were part of kidnapping my parents. Give them back!" I shouted.

"What's this? You want your parents to be set free?" The Eclipse Admin mocks.

"Yes. What part did you not understand?" I asked.

"You must be the child of those two archaeologists we abducted back in Mitis Town." The Admin continued.

"Yes I am. Of course, you can know that I do look different than them. I guess it's maybe my hair..." I said as I smoothed my spiky hair. I always wondered, why is it always that color? However it was formed, I like it.

"Your parents have been rather difficult to work with. They were not cooperative at first," The Eclipse Admin explained, "It wasn't until after we threatened to harm their family that they gave in to our requests."

"You fool!" I exclaimed.

"They must have been afraid for you. They have every right to be," The Admin continued, "I'm afraid if you are here to stop us, then you are too late."

"And why is that?" Sonic asked.

"According to legend, I need only lay this orb on the pedestal behind me in order to awaken a powerful, sleeping Pokémon." The Eclipse Admin shouted, an evil chuckle afterwards.

"That's what the Gym Leader told me." I said.

"Why would you do such a thing?!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Why awaken such a beast you ask? That's for us to know. I'm afraid you two will not be privileged to find out the purposes to our actions at this time." The Admin said. There was awkward silence for a minute.

"By the power and strength of Team Valor... (even though I haven't join them yet)..., we will stop you!" I shouted, pointing at him.

"I grow weary of speaking to you, fool. It is time for me to carry out our plan!" The Eclipse Admin yelled.

"I will not allow that!" I continued.

"What?! You won't allow that? You fear for the town's safety, do you?" The red-haired man asked.

"If you awaken the beast, it will destroy maybe half of Roria. We will not let you do this!" Sonic protested.

"Well, if you're only here to get in my way, then I'm afraid that the only way to be rid of you is with a Pokémon battle," The Admin said, "I warn you though. I am one of Team Eclipse's Admins. I will not be defeated!"

"BRING IT ON!" I screamed.

"And I'll join in too!" Sonic exclaimed. The Admin is angry now. Perfect.

"You wanna do a double battle? Fine!" He exclaimed. He pointed to one of the Grunts.

"YOU! Join me on this fight!" The Eclipse Admin commanded.

"Of course, Admin Harry." The Grunt said, and reveals the Admin's name. Ok, here we go.

* * *

It's too late for turning back. Get ready, Eclipse Admin Harry. You're about to taste our wrath.

"Go, Honedge!" Harry shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Woah! I heard the evolution for that Pokémon is really good! Not bad so far, but let's see what your Eclipse partner has.

"Houndour, get them!" The Eclipse Grunt shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. I'll accept it. At least it's not too repetitive like Zubat.

"Charmeleon!" I yelled. My Fire type comes out of his ball.

"Yeah! Let's go, Rockruff!" Sonic exclaimed. Look at that, both of our starters in this battle. Well... you already know I have 2 starters. Ehh...

"Charmeleon, use Ember on Honedge!" I shouted.

"Heh, not today. Use Pursuit!" Harry yelled. You really just tried to counter, didn't ya? Ooh, it's on now.

"Houndour, use Bite!" Harry's partner shouted.

"Rockruff, jump and then use Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed. It is a direct hit. Yeah, these guys are going down.

"Grr... don't expect you two to win that easily." Harry warned.

"That's what you think. Today changes. Charmeleon, use Dragon Rage!" I shouted. Now, I know my types and I know Dragon moves won't do much, but I have a plan.

"No, use Metal Sound!" Harry screamed. Honedge creates a screeching sound, making the move disintegrate. Perfect, this is my chance!

"Now use Ember!" I exclaimed. The next thing Honedge knew, it got hit with the fiery attack. One hit KO, sucker.

"Houndour, use Ember!" Eclipse Grunt by the Admin shouted.

"Rockruff, run to Houndour and use Bite!" Sonic yelled. Houndour shoots it fire attack, but Rockruff dodges. Bam, not very effective, but he's down. Team Eclipse, you stand no chance. You about to get rekt.

"Time for my next one. Go Vullaby!" Harry shouted, sending out his second Pokémon. Eh, at least its evolution is... good.

"Get em, Raticate!" The Eclipse Grunt shouted, sending out his next Pokémon. But when I take a look at it...

it's now brown like it normally is. It's black! I heard some Pokémon from the Kanto region change their form and type when on the Alolan Islands. How did this guy manage to get one that early? Eh, not that it matters. This is Team Eclipse we're talking about.

"Okay, switch out, Charmeleon." I said.

"Char." My Pokémon said, and runs back to my side unlike when I usually return him.

"Need that advantage, huh?" Sonic asked.

"We're not gonna let Team Eclipse win this round. Go Rhyhorn!" I yelled, and sent out my newest member.

"Oh, whatever. Advantages won't help you. We're one of the strongest organizations in the world!" Harry bragged.

"That's what you think. Wait till you see what's coming up for you next." I said with my usual smirk. Harry faced me with an angry look.

"No more of this crap! Vullaby, use Pluck!" Harry screamed. Vullaby raises itself into the air a bit, and its small beak grows bigger and glows white as it charges to Rhyhorn.

"Quick, use Horn Attack to counter it!" I yelled. Both attacks make their move, and Rhyhorn gains its advantage. After all, it's a Rock type. What did you expect?

"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" The Grunt shouted.

"No, no. Rockruff, block him with Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed. But the attack didn't land. Raticate had enough speed to dodge it.

"Looks like the tables turned on you." Harry teased, and after he said that, Raticate lands its move. How dare you make fun of my friend like that! Team Eclipse. What a joke.

"Rockruff! Do you have enough strength to move on?" Sonic asked.

"Ruff Ruff!" Rockruff barked.

"And I guess I will go for this friend as well. Vullaby, set up with Nasty Plot!" Harry yelled. Vullaby begins thinking hardly, and thus raises its Special Attack a lot. But honestly... what's the point if your Pokémon is mostly a Physical attacker? Haven't thought about that, haven't you?

For an Admin, you're not the greatest. Seriously.

"Raticate, use Bite on Rhyhorn!" That Eclipse Grunt shouted. Oh, going for me this time I see? Okay, fine. Let me show you how it's done.

"Rhyhorn, use Fury Attack!" I yelled. You know what happens with big Pokémon, right? Compared to Rhyhorn, that Alolan Raticate made itself a bigger target. Now THAT'S how you battle.

"Grr... this guy ain't messing around." The Grunt exclaimed, not too happy about that.

"Don't give up just yet. There's a chance that he will still lose." Harry laughed. He said it out loud though.

"IDIOTS! I can hear everything you're saying!" I screamed.

"That's none of your business to eavesdrop! Vullaby, use Pluck!" Harry shouted.

"Rhyhorn, use Smack Down!" I yelled. Let's see how Vullaby can counter this rock attack.

Ha! Nope, as much as it would try.

"We will not let you win this fight!" Harry and the Eclipse Grunt shouted in unison.

"Are you done?" I asked. I can sense they had a plan, considering they looked at each other and nodded.

"Raticate, use Assurance on Vullaby!" Eclipse Grunt yelled. Raticate gets behind Vullaby and hits it, gaining it some speed as it charges towards Sonic's Rockruff.

"Now, Vullaby! Use Fury Attack!" Harry exclaimed.

"Sand Attack!" Sonic shouted worriedly. Luckily, Vullaby gets hit by the sand, its eyes stinging. Wait a minute...

Raticate charges towards Rockruff with its move it used earlier. Okay, looks like we're not the only ones who are confident in combo attacks. That Admin... I guess I could give him some credit. But they still kidnapped my parents! They are still bad!

"Ack! Rockruff, return!" Sonic shouted as he grabbed a Poke Ball.

"Raticate. Use Pursuit." The Eclipse Grunt said with a smirk. Before Sonic could switch out, Rockruff fainted by the attack. I don't blame. After all, Pursuit's damage doubles when the opponent is about to switch out.

After that was done, Sonic switched to his next Pokémon.

"Go Brionne!" He exclaimed. Brionne does a little pose before it gets into a battling format. Alright, let's go. We're gonna win this battle.

"End this turn with Disarming Voice!" Sonic yelled. This is one of those attacks that go for both opponents in double battles. Raticate didn't have enough time to dodge, but Vullaby did.

"Ha! You missed!" Harry mocked.

"Rhyhorn, use Smack Down." I said. And there we go. Finally this part is over. Thank Arceus...

"W-Well, joke's on you! We still have one more Pokémon!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, what he said!" The Grunt added. Well, just show me who you two saved for last. I am partly curious.

"If you got one more, then show me." I said. Looks like I got this easily. These Team Eclipse people... they really don't know who I truly am.

"YOU ASKED FOR IT! Come on out, Lunatone!" Harry screamed. Okay, not bad. Now you're really living up to that team name. What about your partner, eh?

"You too, Watchog!" The Eclipse Grunt yelled. Okay, an okay Normal type... I guess. Okay, let's get this over with.

"Rhyhorn, return. And now... let's go, Frogadier!" I exclaimed as I sent out my next Pokémon and returned my last one used in this battle.

"Come on, Nifty! Let's show them how it's done!" Sonic said.

"You got it! Frogadier, use Water Pulse!" I commanded. Let's see how these guys counter THIS!

"Lunatone. Break it with Psywave." Harry responded. Lunatone's eyes glow and it sends out a massive, thin wave of psychic power, and dissolves the Water Pulse. Welp. I stand corrected.

"Brionne, Aqua Jet!" Sonic yelled. Brionne charges while surrounded in water...

"Watchog! Use Retaliate!" The Grunt shouted. Watchog interrupts the incoming attack with something so devastating and powerful. A physical attack I couldn't describe... it's madness!

"You two seem a bit tired from this battling. Allow me to make you fall asleep. Lunatone, use Hypnosis!" Harry exclaimed. Lunatone sends some kind of rings right at both of our Pokémon.

"Don't focus on it, guys. Frogadier, Quick Attack!" I yelled. Lunatone couldn't have anymore time to counter that. My Frogadier is just too fast. You better thank me, boi!

"Brionne, Water Gun on Watchog!" Sonic shouted. Watchog dodge the attack. For an okay Normal type, it sure does have pretty decent speed.

"Super Fang." The Eclipse Grunt said. Watchog's fangs grew and it charged right at Brionne.

"Quick, dodge it!" Sonic screamed. Too late. Brionne didn't dodge and it took a lot of damage. Super Fang is a really powerful attack, too! I have no words...

"We're not going to end this. Brionne use Aqua Jet!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Watchog, use Retaliate!" The Grunt shouted. And both attacks collide, but Watchog got the upper hand, so it knocked Brionne back with brute force.

"Lunatone, end this fool with Psywave!" Harry yelled. And Lunatone sends its massive psychic wave, and Brionne was struggling to get up. But as I looked closer...

Frogadier took the attack! It ran in front of Brionne and took the damage.

"Ha! Foolish fool. You oughta lose that battle after something like _that!_ " Harry teased.

"No, you're wrong about that, Harry," I said with a smile, "You see, Sonic and I are friends. And friends stick up for each other. Even in tough situations."

"Grr... every word that comes out of your mouth makes me want to cringe even more." Harry exclaimed.

"Does it really? I appreciate it." I teased.

"I hate you." Harry said.

"Love you too, Eclipse idiot." I replied with a laugh.

"AAAAH! ENOUGH! I WILL FINISH YOU MYSELF! Lunatone, PSYWAVE!" Harry screamed.

"Frogadier, use Water Pulse!" I shouted. As Frogadier shoots his most powerful attack, it begins to absorb the Psywave. How long can it keep up.

"Brionne, can you get up?" Sonic asked. It accepts the request and nods. Once it stands up, it begins to use a new move. A big blue orb forms from its nose, and she shoots it right Where Frogadier's Water Pulse was. Wait a minute. That move that Brionne just used...

That _is_ Water Pulse!

Both of the Water moves collide together, it grows bigger, and heads right towards Lunatone. By the time it got hit by the combined attack, it fainted. That's how it's done! Now we gotta deal with the Grunt.

"You'll go no further! Watchog, Super Fang!" He screamed. Gotta watch out for that powerful attack.

I look at Sonic, and we nod at each other.

"Brionne, use Water Pulse one more time!" Sonic yelled. T was a small one, but this was part of the plan. Watchog takes the attack, and rubs its eyes as it tries to get the water off.

"Now Frogadier, use Quick Attack and finish him!" I shouted. And there we go. For amazing speed, Watchog gets knocked over and faints.

"You little twerp..." Harry groaned.

"Who knew you could beat us..." The Grunt added quietly.

* * *

I gave Sonic a high five, we had just defeat one of Team Eclipse's Admins. We gotta feel proud about that.

"You did awesome, Sonic! We showed them what for!" I cheered.

"Yes we did! That was a close battle, I didn't know what we could expect." Sonic said. And now we hear Harry talk now. Great...

"Well, it seems you two are quite strong for such new trainers." He complimented.

"I can accept that from you." I said.

"No matter, I have come here to carry out a very important task." Harry said with a smirk, even though we couldn't see it. Ugh, I knew it! I knew these fools wouldn't listen!

"Of course you wanna do this..." Sonic responded.

"I will not let my leader down! Prepare yourselves for the awesome power within this volcano!" Harry screamed. And he put the Red Orb on the pedestal. Suddenly, the ground starts shaking. Oh Arceus...

The world around us turns a bright red, and we all look the lava beside us. A few seconds later, a Legendary Pokémon emerges. It was all red with some black markings around it. Sharp claws and teeth, a long tail, and it was HUGE.

It's the legendary Pokémon of land: Groudon.

I can't believe it! I am seeing Groudon right before my very eyes! I began to shout.

"Holy sh-!"

"Groudon, the giant sleeping within this volcano, has now awoken!" Harry screamed.

"What have you done?! You know what this will do, right?!" Sonic yelled.

"With his power, Team Eclipse will more fully be capable of carrying out its purposes!" Harry replied. Dude! You got it ALL wrong! It's not like they'll hear our words anyway...

"Fear this mighty Pokémon, foolish people, as I now manipulate Groudon to do our bidding!" Harry exclaimed.

"Do not do this! You are gonna get freaking destroyed!" I shouted.

"Shut up! Let the boss finish his work!" Another Grunt said. Harry walks up to the lava legendary.

"Groudon! It was I who woke you from your slumber! You will now help Team Eclipse fulfill its purpose! I command you now, Groudon, to follow my exact orders!" Harry commanded.

 **"Oh yeah? You do know who you were messing with, right? MORTAL FOOL!"** Groudon screamed. He roars right in Harry's face, knocking his hair off. Sonic managed to chuckle by that, but I didn't because I was in FREAKING AWE FROM SEEING GROUDON, HOLY CRAP!

"Uh..." Harry whispered. He was now looking pretty terrified.

"What now, Admin?" The last three of the Grunts asked.

"EVERYBODY RUUUUUN!1!" Harry screamed, and he and the other Grunts ran away as fast as they could. I had no idea what to expect. Welp, we're dead.

I see the Brimber City Gym Leader walking to us. He must be here to stop this madness.

"The Gym Leader! What are you doing here?" Sonic asked. I snapped out of my trance and looked at them.

"I have to grab the Red Orb quick, before Groudon gets out of control!" The Gym Leader replied. He ran over to the pedestal and grabbed the Red Orb immediately.

"Groudon, please forgive us for disturbing your rest. We promise that we won't disturb you again. There is a village right outside this volcano with a lot of good people in it. If the volcano erupts, it could destroy the entire village and hurt many innocent people! Please accept this apology and we'll be on out way." The Gym Leader pleaded.

Groudon took at look at him, and then Sonic. Then he looked at me, but it was more towards my Bronze Brick necklace.

 **"Okay, I'll go back. But just once for you mortals."** Groudon bellowed, and then sank back underneath the lava. Well, that was something awesome and terrifying at the same time. Everything is normal now. That's good.

"I'm actually kind of surprised that Groudon let us go that easily. For a second, I thought we might've been toast." The Gym Leader said.

"I was shocked as well, uh..." I started, but I stopped. Truth is the guy never told us his name.

"Sebastian. That's my name." The Brimber City Gym Leader continued for me. Okay, that's better.

"It was a close call." Sonic said.

"Did you see the way Groudon was looking at you though?" Sebastian said to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It was as if he saw something in you." Sebastian replied. I realized what he was talking about.

"Now that you mention it, he was looking straight at my necklace." I said as I twirled it around a bit.

"Maybe that's why he just left like that." Sebastian wondered.

"I think that necklace might be something special than just a gift." Sonic responded.

"I have a feeling that we might see Groudon again someday." Sebastian said.

"I hope so. I never expected to meet a Legendary Pokémon in my whole life!" I exclaimed.

"Either way, you two did a good job showing Team Eclipse who's boss. I can let everyone back in town know that their homes are safe." Sebastian complimented. I nodded.

"It was pretty close, but we managed to win in the end." I said.

"Hey, you two should stop by my gym. I'd love to see how strong of a trainer you two are." Sebastian suggested.

"I was about to go there after this." I replied with a laugh.

"Alright, well, I better get going. I'll bee seeing you two soon, hopefully." Sebastian said, and then walks back to Brimber City. Sonic looks at me. I know what to expect.

"We should make our way back." I said

"Agreed." Sonic replied. And we walk back.

* * *

After we healed our Pokémon once we made it back to the city, we smiled.

"Let's battle the gym." I said.

"Yeah!" Sonic exclaimed. We walk to the entrance, and it was right by the volcano. Nice. But once we opened the door, and other slams open as a person walks out of it. Oh no...

It's Kevin.

"You?!" I shouted.

"Oh. It's you two again. I'm certain you and little friend here are here to challenge the Gym?" Kevin asked. I was about to speak, but Sonic interrupts.

"Yes, that's right! As you can see right here, Nifty and I have our first badge back at Silvent City!" Sonic said as he showed Kevin his badge case, which had our first Gym Badge inside.

"Well, I already have 2 badges. Looks like you're the ones who are slow." Kevin teased.

"You know well that we have just single handedly defeated Team Eclipse from awakening Groudon!" Sonic yelled. They did kinda succeed... but they failed since Groudon is smart, knowing who is chosen in his eyes.

"What's that going to accomplish? Just because you did that doesn't mean you're strong." Kevin said.

"Oh, we _are_ strong! You just don't know that!" Sonic yelled.

"If you think you're so strong, then how about we battle? It's the only way." Kevin challenged.

"FINE! You're going down!" Sonic screamed.

"Welp... here we go again." I said with a facepalm.

* * *

They are gonna battle outside the Gym entrance. Sonic beat Kevin last time, so I know he can do this. What could go wrong?

"Come on out, Rockruff!" Sonic shouted. His first Pokémon for this battle. Good idea to show this idiot.

"Once again, you're starting with that weak Pokémon." Kevin mocked.

"You're wrong! Rockruff is one of my best partners!" Sonic exclaimed.

"No, people with Pokémon who can't do a thing are weak. You're weak." Kevin said. I hate this guy. I really do.

"Oh yeah? Well let's see another one of your Pokémon! Let's see what you can do!" Sonic yelled.

"Whatever you say. Go, Frillish." Kevin said bluntly, sending out his first Pokémon. Sonic might have the disadvantage, but he still has determination. As long as he believes.

"How about you make the first move? I want to see you try." Kevin insisted.

"Okay, I will! Rockruff, use Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Use Bubble Beam!" Kevin shouted. Well, that happened. As much as I would say that one attack would be stronger than the other...

it didn't. They collided.

"See what I mean? This is why I would suggest getting stronger Pokémon." Kevin said.

"I won't let that happen! Rockruff, use Bite!" Sonic yelled.

"Up in the air, Frillish." Kevin commanded. Frillish avoids the attack, and stays up there for a few seconds.

"Now use Ominous Wind!" Kevin exclaimed. Rockruff suddenly gets knocked back by some purple wind. Ooh, neither of these two are messing around.

"Don't let that stop you, Sonic! You need to counter and attack!" I shouted to my friend. Sonic looks at me and winks. I bet he has a plan.

"Frillish. Water Pulse!" Kevin yelled.

"Rockruff, dodge it and then use Bite!" Sonic shouted. From Kevin's eyes, he didn't really see Rockruff get hit by the attack. Now he got surprised once Frillish suddenly got hit by the sudden move. Awesome!

"Hmph... it seems like you're a bit prepared for this. Not that it matters." Kevin said.

"Nifty and I did a lot of battles together. We even saw the legendary Pokémon, Groudon!" Sonic complimented.

"Liar! You're lying! Frillish, use Recover!" Kevin screamed.

"Rockruff, use Sand Attack to stop the healing!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff shoots is dust of sand at Frillish's eyes, making it stop its healing process.

"How dare you!" Kevin exclaimed.

"How dare _you._ " I said bluntly. Must I say more? I bet we already know this guy is... not cool. Not cool at all. AT FREAKING ALL.

"I'll get you for that. Frillish, use Bubble Beam!" Kevin shouted. Frillish launches its powerful water beam.

"Rockruff, counter the attack with Rock Throw!" Sonic yelled. Once again just like at the beginning of the match, the attacks collide, and none of those seemed stronger than the other.

"Great, now use Bite!" Sonic added. As Rockruff runs to land his attack, Frillish dodges it. But then Rockruff turns around from half of that dodge and lands the attack. Hey, nice mind games.

"Speed ain't nothing. You were just lucky on that one shot." Kevin scoffed. No dude, speed is _everything._ Have you SEEN the battles I have done? This guy though... he just thinks he's perfect when he's NOT.

"Well, let's see you try and get past this. Rockruff, use Bite one more time!" Sonic shouted.

"Tsk tsk. Frillish, use Bubble Beam." Kevin commanded. It was too late for Rockruff to dodge the attack this time. It got hurt badly, but it seemed like it was still okay to battle. Yeah, that's what's up!

"Don't give up yet, Rockruff! Use Bite!" Sonic yelled. Kevin seemed annoyed when Sonic did the same thing like last time. I'm not. I'm more than impressed, and that's no lie.

"Have you learned nothing? Frillish, Bubble Beam again." Kevin said in an annoyed tone. But this time...

"Dodge!" Sonic exclaimed. And Rockruff jumps to avoid the attack.

"Now finish him with Rock Throw!" Sonic screamed.

"DODGE IT NOW, FRILLISH!" Kevin screamed. Too late, idiot. Frillish takes the attack, and it faints. Not so much now, huh?

"Great job, Rockruff!" Sonic complimented.

"Ruff ruff!" Rockruff barked happily as it wags its tail and sticks its tongue out.

"Hmph... so you were lucky, big deal. I still got a couple more Pokémon by my side." Kevin said as he returns Frillish to his ball. Keyword: COUPLE. It seems like Kevin caught another Pokémon. I wonder who it could be?

Kevin pulls out an Ultra Ball this time. HOW THE FREAK DID THIS GUY GET AN ULTRA BALL _THAT_ EARLY IN HIS JOURNEY?! Phew... okay, I am calm. Let's see what comes next.

"Allow me to show you two true strength. Gible! Let's go!" Kevin shouted as he threw the ball.

"Gib, Gib!" The small land shark Pokémon exclaimed. Wow, the pre-evolution of a pseudo-legendary. Okay, that's cool. BUT I STILL HATE YOU, KEVIN.

"Rockruff, use Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff threw its rocks AND the attack lands, but Gible seems to be fine. Wow, that's bulky.

"Gible, use Take Down!" Kevin yelled. Gible began charging up and surrounding itself in some kind of white energy, and it charged right at Rockruff.

"Quick, use Tackle!" Sonic exclaimed. Rockruff tries to counter the attack, but he fails miserably. Take Down IS a more powerful move...

"Wow, you do suck. You should know better on the power of these kinds of moves." Kevin said with a smirk.

"Well, I-I can still show YOU! Rockruff, use Bite!" Sonic screamed. Rockruff ran the fastest it could to attack Gible.

"Heh... use Sand Tomb." Kevin commanded. Gible punched the ground and some kind of small sand tornado sucked Rockruff in, and spun the poor dog around for a bit before disappearing.

"Now finish with Dragon Rage!" Kevin exclaimed. Once the tornado ends, Gible shoots out a powerful blue cloud attack, and Rockruff couldn't have enough time to dodge or counter it.

Rockruff falls to the floor. He fainted.

"See what happens? You should catch more stronger Pokémon." Kevin said with a small laugh. Sonic walked up to Rockruff and gave him a caring smile.

"It's fine, Rockruff. You did your best." Sonic cooed. Rockruff jumped onto Sonic's shoulder. Clearly it wants to watch this battle and doesn't want to be returned to his ball.

"You want to watch?" Sonic asked. Rockruff nods, a determined look on his face.

"Okay, we can still do this." Sonic responded, pumping his fist. Sonic gets back to his side of the battlefield and Rockruff stays by Sonic's side until the end of this battle.

"Brionne! Come on out!" Sonic shouted, sening out his next Pokémon. Brionne does a little twirl as it lands onto the field.

"Another starter, eh? I guess it's for the advantage and whatnot... Gible use Sandstorm!" Kevin yelled. Gible roars loudly, and suddenly a sandstorm comes in. Oh Arceus... why at a time like this.

Meanwhile, all the residents in Brimber City seem to have gone indoors. Great job, Kevin. You scared everyone. FREAKING. EVERYONE!

"Ack! Great, my eyes are stinging from this." I groaned. I'm not the only one apparently! Sonic seemed to have struggle from looking, and even Brionne does. Gible I can understand is fine, but...

HOW THE HECK IS KEVIN WITHSTANDING THIS CRAP?!

"You do know what happens in a sandstorm, right? Pokémon that are not Rock, Ground or Steel types take damage." Kevin instructed. YEAH, I KNOW THAT, YOU IDIOT.

"T...That will not stop us! Brionne, use Aqua Jet!" Sonic shouted. Brionne surrounds itself in that water, and the ability for her to see again, and charges right at the tiny land shark.

"Gible, use Take Down!" Kevin yelled. Gible does the same thing with his white energy and collides right at Brionne. Both have taken damage, but they both seem to be alright as they fall back onto their side of the battlefield.

"Impressed yet?" Sonic asked with a smirk.

"Not even a little." Kevin scoffed. Idiot...

"Okay, whatever. Brionne, use Water Pulse!" Sonic exclaimed. Brionne shoots her big water orb from her nose.

"Gible, dodge it and then use Dragon Rage!" Kevin commanded. Gible does a dodge roll and shoots its powerful attack without even a warning. That's why Brionne didn't have enough time to dodge or counter.

"Hang in there, Brionne! Use Disarming Voice!" Sonic shouted. Brionne shouts a huge heart beam.

"Counter with Take Down!" Kevin yelled. Gible disintigrates the attack and continues charging towards Brionne.

"Do a dance move to jump in the air!" Sonic exclaimed. Brionne smiles as it jumps into the air like a ballerina.

"Sand Tomb." Kevin continued with a smirk. Brionne got trapped inside the Sand Tomb. After a few more seconds of that sandy torment, I hear Kevin begin to land another attack.

"Dragon Rage to finish them!" Kevin shouted. Sonic had an idea when he saw the opposing attack come closer.

"Brionne, use Icy Wind!" Sonic screamed. Brionne shot her icy dust from her nose and froze the attack. Go ahead, Sonic! Finish that not-so-cool dude!

"Now Brionne, use Aqua Jet!" Sonic yelled.

"TAKE DOWN!" Kevin screamed. Both attacks collided. When the smoke cleared up, both Gible and Brionne fainted. Wow! I'm actually surprised by that. I'm not kidding.

"Return, Brionne. Take a good rest." Sonic said as he returns Brionne to her ball.

"Hmph... good job Gible..." Kevin mumbled as he returns Gible to his ball. Both of them only have one more Pokémon now. It's now or never.

"Let's finish this, Kevin. We shall show you!" Sonic yelled.

"Heh heh, that's what you think. This battle will change everything." Kevin replied. Both Kevin and Sonic brought out their Poke Balls. It's a starter battle.

"Quilladin! LET'S GO!" Sonic screamed as he sent out his starter.

"Quill!" The Spiny Armor Pokémon shouted as he lands on the field.

"Hmph... go, Torracat." Kevin muttered as he sent out his starter.

"Tor!" The fire cat Pokémon exclaimed. Last time, Sonic managed to defeat Kevi last time with this same type matchup. What could happen here? Welp, here it goes.

"Quilladin, use Pin Missile to start!" Sonic yelled. Quilladin sends out some harp needle missiles from the needles on his head, and sends them right at Torracat. But now... Torracat uses its quick reflexes to... freaking dodge without its trainer telling him to do so. Welp...

"Now, Torracat, use Fire Fang." Kevin commanded. Torracat's fire gets fiery and charges at Quilladin.

"Uh... Rollout!" Sonic exclaimed. Quilladin curls up into a ball and rolls the fastest it can. Torracat swiftly dodges and lands its attack from behind the rolling Pokémon. Quilladin didn't expect that to happen, and now it suffered the consequences. Poor guy...

"Grr... just watch! Quilladin, use Needle Arm!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin's right arm becomes more spiky and charge right at Torracat.

"Double Kick." Kevin said. Torracat turns around and kicks Quilladin with its hind legs, but Quilladin, dodges at JUST the right time.

"Now use Rollout!" Sonic continued. This time Torracat couldn't dodge and got hit. A lot of damage! Not bad!

"Type advantage... of course..." Kevin mumbled.

"Let's keep moving on. Quilladin use Bite!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Heh heh heh heh... Torracat, use Lick and counter that fool." Kevin commanded. And that was the first time I heard this idiot say "fool". Torracat interrupts the incoming attack by licking Quilladin with its huge tongue.

And now Quilladin is paralyzed. Oh no...

"Oh no, Quilladin!" Sonic shouted, concern in his voice.

"What 'cha gonna do now?" Kevin asked in a mocking tone.

"We're gonna show you who you have been messing with! Quilladin, use Pin Missile now!" Sonic yelled. Quilladin sends its powerful missiles, a bit weaker, but still functional. Torracat took the hit, but it seemed to have been a bit hurt by the attack.

"Dodge it, and then use Fire Fang!" Kevin exclaimed. Torracat dodges the attack, and then runs at Quilladin with all his strength.

"ROLLOUT!" Sonic commanded. Quilladin curls into its ball and attempts to try and attack Torracat. But...

The paralysis got ahead of Quilladin and made him freeze in return.

"GAH! DODGE IT, QUILLADIN!" Sonic screamed. Quilladin tried to run...

"Finish him." Kevin said. But Torrcat was too fast and landed its fiery attack. Quilldin fainted. Oh no... Kevin, the idiot who thinks he's strong, won against my best friend.

Sonic stood still with a shocked look.

"No... oh no..." He said quietly. I could still hear him though.

"That was too easy..." Kevin mumbled with a snarky smirk.

* * *

"Quilladin, return." Sonic said as he returns Quilladin to his ball. Rockruff ran over to Sonic, asking if he was okay. Sonic fell to his knees. Woah! I have seen signs of depression from other people before, but I have NEVER seen Sonic do _that_ before!

Kevin walked over to him.

"You're not strong, you really suck. If you want to get stronger... find some better Pokémon, scum." Kevin insulted. THAT'S IT! HE HAS OFFICIALLY BROKEN THE LINE! I AM NOT GONNA FIGHT BACK BECAUSE HE JUST FOUGHT, BUT STILL! How dare you treat my friend like that!

"Ruff, ruff ruff ruff!" Rockruff barked angrily, and then growled at Kevin. But Torracat ran in front of Kevin and hissed at Rockruff. Rockruff whined and hid behind Sonic.

"Listen up, idiot. You have come between me and my friend. If you ever try and insult him again like that, then you won't like what I have to offer!" I said in a determined tone. I did my best to stand up for the friend I cared about most. Kevin just scoffed and shrugged.

"Eh, whatever. If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get the third badge." Kevin said, and then he walks away with a chuckle, with Torracat following him. I growled at him.

"Not. Freaking. Cool." I said to myself. I looked at Sonic and my anger turned into concern. He still looked pretty depressed.

"Sonic? Are you okay?" I asked him. I began to see Sonic shake a little bit. Suddenly he ran away from me and ran into the Pokémon Center.

"SONIC! Wait, Sonic!" I shouted as I held out my hand, but he was already gone. I sighed in defeat. Rockruff looks at me and whines. He looked like he was about to cry.

"Oh, come here." I said in a baby-talk voice. I lean down and gently pick the dog up. I began to walk to the Pokémon Center, but I got interrupted by someone calling my name.

"Nifty!" That voice shouted. It was Jake. I wonder why he wasn't at Mt. Igneus like he said he was gonna be.

"Hi, Jake." I greeted as my other friend walked to me.

"Who was that guy that walked to the next city?" Jake asked.

"That, Jake, is an IDIOT known as Kevin," I explained, "All he cares about is strong Pokémon, and he'll insult anyone who is weak. Do not go near him ever."

"So what happened exactly?" Jake asked as he cocked his head a bit to the right.

"He challenged Sonic to a battle and won. Sonic got a bit depressed after the fight..." I replied as I lower my head. Jake felt bad.

"Oh no! Is he gonna be okay?" Jake asked once again with true concern in his voice.

"I'm about to find out. I'll be right back, Jake." I said, and then I walk into the Pokémon Center. I sure hope Sonic is okay...

* * *

"Sonic? Sonic, are you here?" I called out. I looked over to one of the benches and I saw Sonic sitting on one, his face lowered so no one can look at him. He wasn't crying though, THANK ARCEUS. I gently put Rockruff down as he follows me to where his trainer is.

I sat down next to Sonic.

"You alright? This isn't like you." I asked calmly.

"Nifty... Kevin is just... right about everything he said." Sonic confessed. That took me by surprise. SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAT?! I would never hear my best friend say something like that!

"What are you talking about?" I exclaimed.

"I don't think I'm ready to be a trainer. I think I'm just gonna go back home." Sonic continued. I then stood up as I had an angry look on his face.

"No." I said.

"W-What do you mean? I can't even win the battles I truly needed!" Sonic yelled.

"Listen here, Sonic, we have come so far! We're already at the 2nd gym," I explained to him, "We got ourselves a mighty team, and we are on a goal for one thing: to save my parents and stop Team Eclipse! We will continue organizing our team, and we will take back what's ours!"

"But... Kevin literally said that I suck and I am not strong." Sonic admitted.

"Forget what Kevin said! He is the true scum there," I protested, "Plus, he didn't do things that we have seen for ourselves. We have stopped Team Eclipse from destroying a city! We witnessed the awakening of the legendary Pokémon, Groudon! And I got this necklace that saved us all! If Kevin was there to even TRY, he wouldn't even be CLOSE! So if there's advice you need... forget whatever Kevin says to you and stand up against him! You are better than this, Sonic! You are one of the best trainers! IN. ALL. OF. RORIA!"

I know that we aren't really _the_ best yet, but we're pretty good for making it this far.

Sonic began to feel a bit more better with each passing sentence I said.

"Yeah... you're right! Kevin didn't do half of the stuff we did. Next time we meet, we will defeat him!" Sonic exclaimed as he stood up.

"Now that's what I like to hear!" I cheered.

"Let's heal our Pokémon, and then it's off to the gym." Sonic said.

"You got it, my dude!" I exclaimed with a wink. We walked over to the front desk, and Nurse Joy does the rest for healing our Pokémon.

Kevin... we will show him.

* * *

 **A/N: Once again, the Internet ain't being the best XD. Anyway, I hoped you like this! It'll take me a while to make each chapter, but note that this story WILL be finished, so don't worry! I'm here all the way ;). Have a wonderful day, dudes! :D**


	6. Just to let you know

Hiya readers! There might not be another next chapter for a while l, but don't think I'm done with this series! Whenever I have the chance, I will make it as soon as possible. See ya next time!


	7. Things are Heating Up

**Okay, here we go. I'm gonna be honest here, I expected this to be a bit more popular, but I'm not really mad either since not a lot of people know what Brick Bronze is.**

 **Okay. Let's start. XD**

* * *

After a few more minutes of calming down from today's events (it was still really intense), Sonic and I stood outside the Gym entrance.

"This is it. Our next Gym challenge." I said.

"We should decide who should challenge first." Sonic suggested. Geez, that was pretty fast. Fortunately, I already have a suggestion.

"Rock paper scissors?" I asked.

"You're on." Sonic replied. And I DO promise not to do a best 2 out of 3 like I do all the time. Trust me, it was always like this. Not this time though. Here we go...

Rock...

Paper...

Scissors...

SHOOT!

I got rock and Sonic got paper.

"Well, you're going first. I think it's necessary since we had to deal with you know who." I said, a bit of anger in my voice when I mentioned those last words. Like Linda, I don't want to speak the guy's name.

"Let's go in!" Sonic shouted excitedly.

"Sure thing, dude." I said with a small laugh.

* * *

We enter the gym, and it looks okay so far. It seems like some kind of... obstacle course. On our way there, we see a guy with yellow skin, a blue shirt and green pants. Pretty basic if you ask me...

"Hello." Sonic greeted the random guy.

"I like the part where you, uhhhh, jump ovah fings." The other dude said.

"Your guess is as good as mine..." I groaned. What else does this place have to offer? I ain't too sure yet. Over by where this "obby" starts, we see the gym instructor of the Brimber City Gym.

"Excuse me, sir, do you know what we have to do here?" Sonic asked.

"In this gym, you're going to want to avoid touching the lava." The gym instructor replied. I see what looks like thin rectangles of lava.

"Yeah, that seems like something we should know by now..." I mumbled under my breath.

"It won't actually hurt you, but it will send you all the way back here." The instructor continued. Okay, so it's not really _actual_ lava. That's a good thing.

"Ooh, it's like parkour!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Don't worry, though. You two oughta be able to jump pretty high from here. Jump over things, climb things, jump over more things. All the way up to the Gym Leader at the top." The gym instructor explained. Alright. I did a few jumping in my free time. Heh, I got this. Seems too easy for a guy like me. Climbing is also fine by me. Though this time, it would be in an EXPERT kind of mode. Game on!

Sebastian could possibly be waiting for us. After all, Sonic and I stopped Team Eclipse from awakening Groudon.

"Okay then. Let's do it!" Sonic shouted. I smiled with him.

"I did a couple of these in my life before. Obstacle courses are my thing." I said with a smirk. I hope Sonic is ready, because I know I am. Let's get this show on the road!

In front of us, we see four rectangular lava tiles. Halfway there, we have to battle a trainer. Gee, that came as no surprise at all.

"Jumping is what it would allow us to do here." I thought. I did a small jump over the lava tile, and it was pretty dang easy. I jumped over the next one, and Sonic followed me. Yeah, so far, so good.

I see the trainer up ahead. He had a red shirt and black hair with part of it dyed red. He had long, gray pants and red sneakers.

Normally, I would charge in and battle anyway. But since I lost a match at "Rock, Paper Scissors" to Sonic, a deal is a deal. I decided to let him battle this guy.

"After you, my friend." I insisted.

"Thanks, Nifty!" Sonic replied, giving me a smile. I'm glad he accepted that offer. The guy with the red shirt notices Sonic as we kept walking. Time to watch this dang battle.

"Watch your step! You almost stepped on that lava tile back there. Maybe a battle will help you think more carefully." The guy mocked. Wow, dude. What a way to expect us to know that. You DO know we saw that... *ahem*, lava tile. Right?

"Well, let's do this battle." Sonic said.

* * *

"Show him, Slugma!" The Pryo shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Fire type Gym, no big surprise. Yeah, this would be easy for Sonic.

"Rockruff!" Sonic yelled. Hopefully the dog will have a better battle than from... that one guy whose name I shall not mention.

"Start with Rock Throw!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Try and counter it with Ember!" The opponent yelled. I wouldn't suggest do that if I were you. Yet he didn't listen...

The Rock Throw was more powerful, and it devours the other attack. Slugma takes the hit, and it is down.

"Ha! Joke's on you, I still have one more!" The red shirt guy shouted, sending out another Slugma. Uh, okay. I'm not sure what that has to do with... anything, honestly.

"Rockruff, use Bite!" Sonic commanded.

"Harden!" Sonic's opponent exclaimed. Slugma raises its defense, and uses that as an advantage to take less damage than usual. Okay, why didn't you do that last time? Eh, beats me.

"Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted.

"You use Rock Throw as well!"

Bam!

Still nothing, no damage on anyone.

"Now use Bite!" Sonic continued. And Slugma couldn't see it coming. What a shame. That was another one hit KO.

"The joke is still on YOU! I have one more on my team!" The pyro exclaimed, sending out ANOTHER Slugma! Dude, _VARIETY!_ You should know what that is, and you should have that!

"Rockruff, use Rock Throw one more time!" Sonic shouted.

"Harden!"

As much as Slugma _tried_ to block the attack, it failed. Badly. No surprise of another KO. This is why you need different Pokémon, like me. And Sonic. And even Jake.

"Now you're thinkin'!" The opponent complimented.

"Thanks." Sonic said.

* * *

There are two more small lava rectangles ahead of us. We easily jump over them. It might get easier the further we get? I dunno.

We now see a wall that we need to climb. The rainbow rocks are how we climb onto the top. No seriously, they are different colors of the rainbow. We climb it. Easy peasy. Next, we are seeing a lava waterfall and a giant rock on top of it. We need to jump on the rock and get to the other side.

And when we do that, it works flawlessly.

Now we keep on walking along, like nothing ever happened. When...

A trainer with a black shirt is ahead of us.

I look at Sonic and nod at him.

"Well, I am the one to go first." Sonic said.

"Yes you did. Do your best, dude." I complimented. Sonic approaches, and the guy saw him.

"You're moving awfully fast there. This isn't a race, you know." He told us. Okay, we know that. Am I sure you're not being FORCED to say that?

"Let's get through the battle already." Sonic groaned.

* * *

I wonder what this battle awaits my friend.

"Charmeleon! Let's go!" The black shirt guy yelled as he sent out his Pokémon. It's the only one he has as well. I wouldn't really mind since this is better than something like Zubat or Numel.

"Okay then... Brionne, go!" Sonic shouted as he sent out his Pokémon. Since he ended up beating my Charmeleon in our latest battle (kinda), I knew he would have a great advantage. Not only for types... but for determination as well.

"Brionne, use Water Pulse!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Use Scratch!" The opponent shouted. Really? Yours still knows Scratch? Ugh, forget it. This ain't working out.

"Now use Aqua Jet!" Sonic continued. And Charmeleon takes the attack, not even dodging could help it.

"Get up, and then use Dragon Rage!" The trainer yelled. At least it knows that move. But Brionne manages to dodge the attack with a little twirl.

"Ember!"

"Icy Wind!" Sonic commanded. The ice attack froze the fire. Now what?

"Aqua Jet one more time!" Sonic screamed. And there. It is now over. Not bad, Sonic. That seemed pretty cool for a battle.

"Wow, you even beat me pretty quickly." The guy with the black shirt complimented. Well, you aren't wrong about that. At all.

* * *

Onward! Our next obstacle is 3 of these dang lava tiles. We jump over them with ease. Now we see a red shirt trainer. Wow, these guys are freaking everywhere.

Sonic approaches the guy.

"You're halfway there now. I bet you two are excited to battle the Gym Leader." He complimented. Sonic and I nod. At least we're only halfway done and not still far away.

"Too bad you'll have to leave and come back after I beat you." The guy continued. Oh Arceus, don't pull a Kevin on me. We already had enough of this idiot.

"Let's find out." Sonic said.

* * *

Is there even any room inside this gym? Not that it matters, I am totally fine with just standing beside my friend when he battles. He certainly is doing great against those trainers like they're nothing.

Then again, they're minor. It's the Gym Leader, no, sorry- Sebastian who will be the real deal.

"Go Ponyta!" The pyro shouts as he sends out his first Pokémon. Please have variety other than the first guy. Because I am telling you right now, having 3 Slugma on your team ain't gonna help you in life. I'm sorry.

"We'll definitely need more of these chances. Go get em, Rockruff!" Sonic yelled as he sends out his Pokémon. I do kinda feel bad for his Quilladin. Then again, this is a Fire type gym. Maybe Sonic will save him for the Gym Leader.

"Ponyta, start with Quick Attack and show them the fast speed of this obstacle course!" The pyro commanded. Ponyta starts to approach. This is the next chance for Sonic.

"Sand Attack!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff dusts up a sand attack, and then he prepares to throw that sand at his opponent...

but Ponyta dodges, and lands its attack. Not very effective, but still.

"Oh no!" Sonic exclaimed as he got worried.

"Just try and keep up with the speed! It's the only way you'll get through this!" I said to him. Sonic looks at me and nods. Do I sense a plan? Of freaking course I do.

"You heard him, Rockruff. Let's keep up with the speed!" Sonic yelled.

"Ruff ruff!" Rockruff barks in agreement.

"Now, Tackle!" Sonic continued.

"Quick Attack!" The red shirt guy yelled. Ponyta definitely has the speed right now.

"To the left!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff barely dodges it.

"Take it back now, y'all." I mumbled under my breath while smirking. I just though it would be necessary...

"Now finish him with Rock Throw!" Sonic screamed. Rockruff sends his rocks, and dodges the incoming attack. So much for speed, am I right?

"Dang it. Go Litleo!" The opponent exclaims. Okay. 'Tis might seem easy. Kinda, sorta, maybe. I dunno...

"Let's stay in, Rockruff. What do you say? Ready to continue?" Sonic asked.

"Ruff!" The dog barks and nods as a reply.

"Okay then, use Bite!" Sonic commanded.

"Tackle!"

As both attacks start to get near each other, Rockruff jumps very far up.

Suddenly, I see its facial expressions. Rockruff looks furious. Hmm... very interesting.

"Huh. Is the little guy okay?" I said to myself.

"Now Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted. And Rockruff starts up its attack and fires it.

"Dodge it, Litleo!" The red shirt guy screamed. Too little, too late. Nice try, but it didn't work out well. Y'all really need to learn some type advantages, you know?

This battle is over. Sonic has won once again.

"Well, alright then. You win." The pyro said. Yeah, I think we know that based on our sights.

* * *

"The guy said we're halfway there, Sonic. We cannot stop now!" I said as I pump my fist.

"Yeah, we must move on!" Sonic responded. Before Sonic returns his Pokémon, he sees Rockruff was looking up and growling.

"What's up with you?" Sonic asked. Rockruff just looks at his trainer for one second, and then turns back to continue its session.

"There's gotta be something wrong with him!" Sonic exclaimed as he gets worried.

"Give me a second here. I'm checking my Pokédex to see if I can wonder what's happening." I said as I bring out my device. I scan the dog, and I get some information on what is happening right now.

"Aha! Rockruff is growling suddenly because it's getting close to evolving." I said with a usual smirk. Sonic begins to smile as well.

"Yay! We're gonna get another evolution on our side!" Sonic cheered.

"I wonder if your Rockruff will evolve into the Midday or Midnight form. Who knows honestly?" I said with a shrug.

"We're this close to the Gym Leader. Rockruff will have the honors of defeating the last Pokémon!" Sonic exclaimed excitedly as he returns his partner.

"Heh heh... you got it, dude. Let's just see, we will definitely have what it takes to do this whole course." I replied. And we move on. There are 3 more lava tiles, and we simply jump over them. Not bad at all.

Our next obstacle... hmm, let's see... we see another lava waterfall, and this time, THREE rocks instead of one. We jump onto the rocks with ease. In front of us is another wall that we can climb. Not too bad for our size and strength.

Once we get to the top, we see a trainer with a gray shirt. The others had either red or black last time. Not that I care, but it's just a detail I have gotten all of a sudden.

"We defeat this guy, we win the match, and we battle the Gym Leader." Sonic said.

"Indeed, my friend. Show him." I responded to him. Sonic walks forward, and the pyro notices.

"You're almost there now. Let me be the last to test your strength before facing our Gym Leader." He said.

"As you wish." Sonic replied.

* * *

Ok, we gonna face the Gym Leader after this fight. This is gonna be awesome! Let's see how Sonic will be able to handle this fight. It might be tougher? Maybe?

"Come out, Torkoal!" The pyro shouts, sending out his only Pokémon. Wow! Finally something pretty good for once! Yeah, it is still just one Pokémon, but Torkoal this early can be pretty decent at this battle!

"Hmm... know who you're gonna use, Sonic?" I asked.

"Of course. Brionne! It is up to you!" Sonic replied as he sends out his Pokémon. Brionne does a twirl as she lands on the ground. Still with that, isn't it?

"Good luck to the both of you! It is _the_ last test of strength after all!" I called out.

"You got it, Nifty! Brionne, use Aqua Jet!" Sonic yelled. Brionne surrounds herself in a veil of water, and she charges towards the opposing Pokémon.

"Torkoal! Rapid Spin, let's go!" The opposing trainer exclaimed. Torkoal goes inside its shell and begins to spin rapidly. Both attacks collide, but Torkoal got a little bit of an advantage from that. After all, that's some pretty dang fast speed.

"Hang in there, Brionne! We can do this!" Sonic shouted.

"Bri!" The sea lion shouts while doing a little dance move.

"Now use Ember! Get em!" The pyro yelled. Torkoal shoots its small flames. A bit bigger than usual since he's going full force on Sonic right now.

"Icy Wind!" Sonic exclaimed. Brionne blows a frosty breath, and it freezes the fire attack.

"Ooh my! You're not giving up I see." The opponent compliments.

"And it's not gonna end here. Brionne, use Disarming Voice!" Sonic demanded. Brionne screams, and the heart beam is aimed right towards Torkoal.

"Oh no you don't! Torkoal, use Rapid Spin again!" The pyro screams. Torkoal disintegrates the attacks with its fast spinning, and charges again.

"Wait for it..." Sonic mumbled. The attack gets closer. Come on, Sonic! Do something!

"Now!" Sonic screamed. Brionne jumps into the air.

"Now use Aqua Jet to finish him off!" Sonic continued. And Brionne hits Torkoal from above, digging the fire turtle into the ground a little bit. And to both of our surprise, it was a one hit KO! I guess all the spinning must've worn it out.

"It's up to Sebastian now to test your strength." The pyro says as he returns his Pokémon.

"If you say so." I said.

* * *

Sonic looks at the pyro, and he nods. Sonic hold my hand as we are almost there.

"This necessary?" I asked.

"I need you to watch this battle, my friend." Sonic replied. There is just one small obstacle awaiting us. It's simply just a rock and a lava waterfall. We jump on the rock and onto the other side.

And on top of a HUGE rock, is him. Sebastian, the Brimber City Gym Leader. His appearance is the same as last time. This oughta be good.

"And we are finally here!" I yelled excitedly. The Gym Leader looks pretty happy to see us. Makes sense too, we saved the whole city, and maybe even half of Roria, from being buried in lava!

"Hello again," Sebastian greeted, "As you know, I am Sebastian, the leader of the Brimber City Gym. I'm grateful for both of your assistances earlier with Groudon. I think everyone in town is."

"No problem at all, Sebastian! Just doing what normal Pokémon Trainers do for a living." I said with a chuckle.

"Now show me the power of your Pokémon!" Sebastian yelled.

"I'm up first!" Sonic exclaimed. Sebastian got a bit surprised by that.

"I did think Nifty would challenge me first since he had that... necklace to stop Groudon." The Brimber Gym Leader said.

"I lost in a match of Rock Paper Scissors. Let Sonic battle you first." I said, butting into the conversation.

"Ha, very well then. Let the battle begin!" Sebastian screamed.

* * *

We were now on another battlefield. It had lava all around the background of it, and there was enough room for people to sit on the bleachers to watch. I sat down and sent all of my Pokémon out.

"Oh boy! Sonic is gonna do great in this battle." I mumbled under my breath. Another pyro comes, a different one this time. He stood in the middle of the battlefield.

"All right! The battle begins with the challenger, Sonic from Mitis Town, and Sebastian, the Brimber City Gym Leader," He shouted, "Each trainer will use three Pokémon on their team in this battle, and when all Pokémon on one person's side is all gone, the battle is over! Remember, only the challenger will be allowed to substitute. BEGIN!"

"Alright, Litleo. Show him your power!" Sebastian yelled as he sent out his first Pokémon. Ok, a good start. Let's see how Sonic will do next.

"Quilladin! Let's go!" Sonic shouted as he sends out his first Pokémon. I knew he would use Quilladin in this fight!

"Good luck, Sonic! Show him, and we shall prove what power both of us together are made of!" I yelled from across.

"You got it, Nifty. Quilladin, you ready?" Sonic asked the spiny armored Pokémon.

"Quill!" The Pokémon exclaims.

"Great! Now, starts this battle with Needle Arm!" Sonic commanded. Quilladin's right arm gets more spikes on it, and it charges towards Litleo.

"Well then... let's try this. Litleo, use Noble Roar!" Sebastian exclaimed. Litleo roars loudly and prevents Quilladin from landing the attack. It ended up lowering Quilladin's Physical and Special Attack in the process. Ooh, that isn't good...

"Well, we won't stop there. Use Rollout!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin curls into a ball, spins rapidly fast, and charges again.

"Dodge it, and then use Overheat!" Sebastian yelled. Wait, did he just say... OVERHEAT?! Dude! That is one powerful move for such a small Pokémon!

Litleo dodges the attack, and then sends out a large, fiery wave.

"Oh no!" Sonic exclaimed in worry. Quilladin couldn't dodge the attack. It wasn't a one hit KO though, THANK ARCEUS.

But still... Quilladin looked pretty hurt. After all, it is a Grass type, and they are weak to Fire type moves.

"Hang in there, Quilladin! We can do this!" Sonic yelled.

"If you see a powerful move, Sonic, try and find a way to counter it! It's something I learned at the Pokémon School once!" I called out to him.

Sonic looks at me and gives me a thumbs up. He better have a plan, else he's done for.

"Don't get too distracted. Litleo, use Take Down!" Sebastian exclaimed. Litleo charges up, and runs forward.

"Needle Arm!" Sonic yelled. Quilladin begins to run to Litleo with his spiky arm. As much as I would like to just say the attacks collide because it almost always happens...

Quilladin dodges the Take Down and lands its Needle Arm attack. It wasn't very effective. But at least it gave room for Quilladin so it could land.

"Huh, impressive. You did that without a command." Sebastian complimented.

"I know. My Pokémon trust me a lot. It took that one battle with Kevin and a few encouraging words from Nifty for me to keep going on." Sonic explained.

"Well, let's see if it can help you in this battle." Sebastian said with a smirk.

"And I will take the initiative. Quilladin, use Pin Missile!" Sonic demanded. Quilladin shoots his spiky missiles at his opponent.

"Litleo, Overheat!" Sebastian shouted. Seriously though, how is Litleo able to learn Overheat like that?

"Great, now use Bite!" Sonic continued. Once the smoke from the colliding attacks disappear, Quilladin comes from the sky and bites Litleo.

"OH!" Sebastian screamed. He was certainly not expecting that, now was he? More like an act of surprise if you ask me...

Go, go Sonic!

"Litleo, get him with Noble Roar!" Sebastian yells. Litleo roars loudly, and he lowers Quilladin's attacks. Physical and Special.

"We won't get finished yet! Use Needle Arm!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin charges up, spiky arm, and runs the fastest he can. Can Litleo dodge or take the hit?

"Overheat!" Sebastian yelled from across. Litleo begins roaring, and its fiery wave forms. Oh Arceus...

"Wait for it, Quilladin..." Sonic said quietly. What could he be planning? The fiery wave is coming. Sonic!

"Now Quilladin! Rollout!" Sonic screamed. Quilladin cancels his first move, and the rolls into the next one. He just rolls right through the flames! WHAT?!

Litleo didn't see it coming, and he got hit by the attack. Super effective. Perfect. Litleo lays on the ground, swirly eyes.

"Litleo is unable to battle! Quilladin is the winner!" The referee shouts, pointing to Sonic's side of the battlefield.

"Yay! Great job, Quilladin! You did amazing!" Sonic complimented.

"Quill, Quilla!" The Pokémon shouts happily with him.

"Don't celebrate too early, my friend." I said to him with my usual smirk.

"He's right. I still have 2 more Pokémon with me." Sebastian added.

"Well, let's do it then." Sonic said.

"Here is my next partner. Growlithe! Show these two!" Sebastian yelled, sending out his next Pokémon. Ooh, nice! Let's see how this plays out.

"Well, let's just do the same thing like last time. Quilladin, use Rollout!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin rolls the fastest it can once again.

"Growlithe, Flame Wheel!" Sebastian exclaimed. Growlithe also rolls really fast, and both attacks collide.

"Now use Overheat!" Sebastian continued. Dude, seriously! How? FREAKING HOW?!

Long story short, the Overheat hits Quilladin.

"Oh no! Hang in there, we can do this!" Sonic yelled worriedly.

"Flame Wheel one more time!" Sebastian shouted. Growlithe forms its move once again.

"Grr... Quilladin, use Pin Missile!" Sonic exclaimed. Quilladin sends out spiky missiles from the spikes on his head. Unfortunately, Growlithe dodges them all while in its fiery ball. That's one fast Pokémon. One that knows Overheat at an early level for some reason.

"Ack! Okay, now use Rollout!" Sonic continued. Quilladin once again tries to do the same thing as last time to collide with the Flame Wheel. Once again, Growlithe dodges the attack and stops its move once Quilladin was behind him.

"Great job! Now use Overheat!" Sebastian screamed. The giant fire move is incoming! Oh boy...

"NO! Quilladin, quick! DODGE IT!" Sonic screamed the loudest he could. But Quilladin didn't have enough time to stop. It was too late. The incoming super effective attack hits Quilladin, and he faints.

After all, he _did_ get hurt by those other attacks as well.

"Quilladin is unable to battle! Growlithe is the winner!" The ref shouts, pointing to Sebastian's side of the battlefield.

"Hm... Quilladin, take a good rest. You did great out there." Sonic said, and then he returns Quilladin to his ball.

"You got some skills. Do you have what it takes to keep up with me?" Sebastian asked.

"Well, I do have 2 more Pokémon, and they are super effective against your type!" Sonic replied.

"Oh really? Well, let's see what you got." Sebastian taunted.

"Indeed I will. Brionne! Go!" Sonic shouted, sending out his next Pokémon. This made me smile a bit.

"Awesome choice. Just like you said, you're saving Rockruff for the final Pokémon that Sebastian has." I mumbled.

"Okay, Brionne. You have the advantage, so it's possible we can win this easier." Sonic said.

"Bri!" The sea lion shouts as she happily does a little twirl.

"Okay, time to focus on the battle. Brionne, start off with Aqua Jet!" Sonic commanded. Brionne surrounds itself with water, and charges forward.

"I do know what is coming up next though..." I said with a facepalm.

"Flame Wheel!" Why am I not surprised. Both attacks collide once again, BUT...

Brionne ended up getting the advantage. I guess it's just the whole type thing. Neat.

"WHOA!" Sebastian yelped.

"And it's not gonna end there. Use Disarming Voice!" Sonic continued. Brionne shouts, her heart beam attack coming forward, and Growlithe took the hit since it wasn't expecting that.

"Ugh, you sure do have power. I will not lie, you got guts." Sebastian complimented.

"I know. I have been training with Nifty after I lost a battle against a certain person." Sonic said. Yeah... HIM.

"Well now, how about we try this? Growlithe, Overheat!" Sebastian demanded.

"Break through the wave with Aqua Jet!" Sonic exclaimed. Brionne is once again surrounded with mystical water. She just charges through the Overheat like it was no big deal.

"How?! You have much determination to just do that so suddenly, do you not?" Sebastian wondered.

"It's all skill. Now, UNLEASH!" Sonic screamed. SHA-BLANGABLANG! But Growlithe is not down yet. It still looks pretty determined to keep fighting. Yeah, that is one tough Pokémon. For a little dog/tiger, it is really brave.

"See how to do this. Growlithe, use Reversal!" Sebastian yelled. Growlithe surrounds itself with some immense power, and then unleashes right at Brionne. HOLY CRAP, HE'S SO FAST! I didn't even see him freaking attack!

Brionne looked hurt finally from it as well.

"How did it do that much damage?!" Sonic exclaimed. He was in total shock right now.

"That is Reversal! It's a move that gets more powerful when the user's HP is lower!" I called out to him.

"Thanks for the tip, Nifty! I appreciate it!" Sonic said with a smile and a wave.

"No time for compliments now, bro! Focus!" I warned. Sonic remembered now, and is now back to his serious battle.

"Growlithe, Overheat one more time!" Sebastian shouts.

"Hmm... I got it! Brionne, use Icy Wind!" Sonic suggested. Brionne blows a freezing wind from its mouth blocking most of the Overheat.

"Now jump high into the air!" Sonic continued. Brionne jumps. Sebastian seemed prepared for that though...

"Use Reversal!" Sebastian exclaimed. Growlithe charges up, and begins to unleash...

"Do a twirl!" Sonic said. Brionne smirks while doing her usual twirl. Growlithe was left speechless from that.

"Now, finish him with Water Pulse!" Sonic screamed. Brionne forms her usual water orb, and uses it to attack Growlithe from behind. And there you have it. Now THAT'S how a battle should definitely go. You must distract your opponent from within.

"Growlithe is unable to battle! Brionne is the winner!" The pryo referee shouted, and once again points to Sonic's side of the field.

"Yes! That means he only has one more!" Sonic cheered.

"Yes he does indeed. You got this, Sonic!" I cheered with him, my Pokémon join in with me as well.

"Beware of my last one. He is my strongest." Sebastian warned.

"Don't worry, I am ready! Show me what you got!" Sonic said.

"Very well then! Magmar, it is up to you!" Sebastian yelled, sending out his last Pokémon. Oh dang. This is gonna be good.

"Brionne, Disarming Voice!" Sonic shouts. The heart beam is coming forward.

"Dodge it, and then use Feint Attack!" Sebastian commanded. Magmar dodges the beam, and begins t surround itself with dark power, and rush towards Brionne. She did a twirl to dodge it, yes. But then...

"Flame Burst." Sebastian continued. Magmar shoots a flame ball from his gape mouth, and Brionne took that meddling hit.

"Okay then. WATER PULSE!" Sonic screamed.

"Overheat!" Sebastian yelled. And the Overheat SOMEHOW took advantage of the Water Pulse. Brionne was surprised as the opposing attack approached her. Smoke was around the battlefield, leaving the audience in surprise. I, too, was shocked as well. Brionne appeared fainted once the smoke cleared up. Wow, that was... fast. Like... more than usual.

"Brionne is unable to battle! Magmar is the winner!" The ref exclaimed, and just like before, just points to Sebastian's side.

"Hm... good job, Brionne. You did amazing out there." Sonic said softly.

"Bri, Brio..." The sea lion cried. She was afraid she upset her trainer.

"You got through much, and that's what matters. Rockruff and I will take it from here." Sonic said, giving his Pokémon a huge grin. Brionne softly smiles and nods. Then Sonic returned his Pokémon to her ball.

"One more, eh? This is it. It ends here, my friend." Sebastian responded.

"Yeah, here we go." Sonic said. He takes a few deep breaths before he sends out his last Pokémon.

"Rockruff! LET'S GO!" Sonic screamed, and then sent out his last one. Rockruff appeared furious. It was ready for battle.

"Are you ready?" Sonic asked.

"Ruff ruff ruff!" Rockruff barked loudly.

"Make the first move. I insist." Sebastian said.

"Of course! Rockruff, start with Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted. Rockruff sends a bunch of forming rocks from his tail, and throws them at his opponent.

"Flame Burst." Sebastian said. And Magmar melts all the incoming rocks with his one attack. How? Why? How again?

"Okay, next one. Use Tackle!" Sonic continued.

"Feint Attack." Sebastian replied. And Magmar charges as well.

"Quick, stop and use Sand Attack!" Sonic exclaimed. Rockruff moves out of the way, and then throws his sand. Perfect.

"Okay, NOW use Rock Throw!" Sonic continues.

"Oh no you don't! Magmar, use Feint Attack again!" Sebastian yelled. Magmar goes behind Rockruff and attacks. Guess he didn't see that coming. When Rockruff gets up when he got onto the floor, he starts growling again.

"He might be close to evolution." Sonic said quietly. I could even hear him, and that's a good thing.

"Rockruff, use Bite!" Sonic shouted, getting back into the battle.

"Overheat, Magmar!" Sebastian exclaimed. And the wave is coming once again. Rockruff took the hit. He tried to run away, but couldn't.

"Now use Flame Burst!" Sebastian continued. And another attack lands. Sonic begins to have memories of something. Even I start to remember it. When Sonic was battling the IDIOT- no, I'm sorry... Kevin in a battle. His Gible used Sand Tomb and finished Rockruff off with Dragon Rage. This was kind of a similar situation.

"K-Ke...Kevin, you..." Sonic mumbled, and he fell to his knees. (Insert audience gasping here XD)

"Sonic!" I shouted. Rockruff started to get worried from all his furiousness and ran over to his trainer. The dog found Sonic just mumbling to himself, so now Rockruff licks his trainer's face.

"I don't know if I can... keep going on..." Sonic said quietly.

"Ruff, ruff!" Rockruff barked as he used his tiny paws to pound on Sonic's leg lightly.

"I guess we'll keep going on..." Sonic said again, more quietly this time. Rockruff got determined, so he turned back to the field. Then... something unexpected happened. There was a green flash on the ceiling. Rockruff looked at it, he looked surprised. Since I am on the middle of the bleachers on one side, Rockruff's pupils were... green!

"AWRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Rockruff howled as he looks up.

"What is going on?!" I screamed.

"I don't know!" Sonic exclaimed. Well, I'm glad he heard me at least... Suddenly, as Rockruff continues howling, he glowed. It was green instead of blue like usual.

"He's evolving!" Sonic yelled excitedly. Sebastian and Magmar were surprised as well. A few more seconds of the evolving process. When Rockruff was done evolving, he had a different form now.

He was like the Midday Form, but colored orange. He had green eyes and the white mane was larger than usual. And the tail was long like always.

Did I say... _like_ the Midday Form? It didn't evolve into either?!

"Wait a second... THAT'S NOT THE MIDDAY _OR_ THE MIDNIGHT FORM!" I screamed in utter shock.

Sonic, however, was immediately surprised.

"Yay, Rockruff! You evolved into a Lycanroc!" Sonic cheered.

"Roc!" Lycanroc yelled.

"Great job," Sebastian complimented, "But it won't get too far. Magmar, use Flame Burst!"

"Lycanroc, go ahead and use Tackle!" Sonic shouted. Lycanroc ran very fast, and even got some rocky power hidden within! He just ran right through the Flame Burst! WHAT?! Magmar got surprised, and took the attack. It did a boatload of damage.

"Holy-" Sebastian exclaimed.

"Was that still... Tackle?" Sonic wondered.

"No! That's Accelerock! It's an exclusive move!" I called out.

"That's actually very helpful!" Sonic compliments.

"Okay Magmar. Now use Feint Attack!" Sebastian yelled. Lycanroc stood there once Magmar got closer.

"No! Lycanroc, dodge it!" Sonic shouted in extreme worry. Lycanroc just smiled. Once Magmar got EXTREMELY close, Lycanroc raised his paw and punched Magmar right in the guts. He was now laying on the floor.

"What was that?! It was awesome!" Sonic yelled in both surprise and excitement.

"Counter! It returns the move by doubling the amount of damage!" I shouted.

"We shall end it here! MAGMAR, USE OVERHEAT! SHOW THEM!" Sebastian screamed.

"Heh heh... Lycanroc, Accelerock one more time!" Sonic shouted. Lycanroc charges up and once again goes right through the attack! HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?! Magmar was sent flying once he came in contact with the Accelerock.

"NOW FINISH HIM WITH ROCK THROW!" Sonic screamed. Lycanroc's eyes turn a bright red, and then more rocks come than usual, and is sent at his opponent. Smoke is here once again. This battle is over. Magmar has fainted. That was truly intense.

"Magmar is unable to battle! Lycanroc is the winner, which means the victory goes to Sonic, the challenger!" The referee screamed, and points to Sonic's side.

"YES! We did it, Lycanroc!" Sonic cheered as he ran to his Pokémon and gave him a hug.

"Lycan, Lycanroc!" The wolf barked. Sebastian just smiled.

* * *

The Gym leader approached Sonic.

"Good work. You really do have quite the potential." Sebastian said.

"Thanks! It was all thanks to my newly evolved Lycanroc." Sonic responded. I came to my friend.

"THAT. WAS. AWESOME! Dude, the way your Pokémon just... did that! IT'S MADNESS!" I screamed.

"Thanks, Nifty. Lycanroc and the others did a great job." Sonic said. Speaking of which, he sends out the rest of his team.

"I wasn't wrong when I said that Groudon saw something in you, Nifty! Including the power of your friend!" Sebastian complimented.

"I know. He did awesome out there." I said, giving Sonic a pat on the back.

"Sonic, I am proud to present you with Brimber City's Gym Badge." Sebastian said. He gives the Brimstone Badge to Sonic. It was in the shape of a fire with a red orb in the middle.

"Yes! I got the Brimstone Badge!" Sonic screamed, holding the badge high into the air. His Pokémon cheer with him.

"It's the least I can do to give you this TM as well." Sebastian added, and gave Sonic a TM that was a light orange color.

"Which kind is it?" Sonic asked.

"TM50 contains Overheat. Overheat is a Fire type move that is extremely powerful. However, it harshly reduces your Pokémon's Special Attack after use." Sebastian replied. Oh, THAT'S how your small Pokémon know Overheat! That changes everything.

"Good luck with the rest of your adventure! I believe you and your friend will do many great things." Sebastian said as he waves goodbye.

"Thanks, Sebastian!" Sonic said, and then he and his Pokémon follow him as we exit.

"And Nifty," Sebastian said to me, "Be sure to stop by soon, because I want to challenge the person who tamed Groudon from causing ultimate destruction."

"Will do. I'm just gonna have some lunch first. That's my first plan." I replied, and then I leave.

* * *

We were in a small café in the Pokémon Center. Sonic and I decided to have a little lunch before I do my challenge and make our way to the next city.

I was eating a burger and some fries, and Sonic had a Quesadilla. All our Pokémon including Sonic's had the usual Pokémon food, along with some berries.

"That was still intense, Sonic. The way your Lycanroc just zoomed right through the attacks like no big deal." I said in excitement.

"I know! I wasn't even expecting that!" Sonic said with a laugh.

"Wait until Kevin sees this. We'll see who's laughing now." I said with a playful evil grin.

"Still... this Lycanroc form is unusual to me. It's not the Midday or Midnight form." Sonic said in between bites of his lunch.

"Well... what time is it?"

"Around 5PM."

"Since it evolved around that time... how about we call it a Lycanroc... Dusk Form?" I suggested. Sonic smiled. Looks like he agrees.

"Good suggestion. Lycanroc Dusk Form. That's a new little invention from us." Sonic said. He turns to Lycanroc, who smiles with his trainer.

"Roc!" The wolf barks. And it is all good now.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, the Internet is working better now. What did you think? More is gonna come soon, so stay tuned for more of the Admin Story!**


	8. New Goals For These Trainers

**Alright! Now in this chapter, we will see how Nifty is able to defeat the Gym Leader... including a situation at Lagoona Lake. And after the Gym battle in Brimber as well. Here we go! :D**

* * *

I looked at the sky as Sonic and I left the Pokémon Center. It's very dark right now. The sky was a very dark shade of blue, stars were out, and there was a full moon. After all, we HAD to stay here for the night. That's why it took some time and not right away.

"Looks like it is finally my turn for the Brimber City Gym. Let's see what this is all about." I said.

"You bet, Nifty! I bet you'll do great out there!" Sonic cheered. His newly evolved Lycanroc barks happily alongside him.

"Yeah, and it's pretty nice, too. After all, I have 2 type advantages," I explained, "Still though, not even type advantages can help out in this mess. All we can really try and do is believe in ourselves."

"What do you mean by that, Nifty?" Sonic asked. I put both of my hands on his shoulders.

"You know how I am obsessed with Team Valor? That everyone thinks I am kinda crazy as a result?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Why exactly?" Sonic repeated his question.

"Well, it's simply not just because I like the color red and Moltres of the legendary birds," I reminded, "It's because Team Valor values strength. The leader of Team Valor, Candela, has said a certain quote that has inspired me to become the person I am today. Her research is to find the value of natural power and strength between a trainer and its Pokémon. And she always reminds her fellow people: 'There's no doubt that the Pokémon our team have trained are the strongest in battle'!"

"Hmm, you most certainly aren't wrong about that." Sonic said, nodding in agreement.

"That's right! So this means: even in tough situations during a Pokémon battle, we must always remember that the only way we can win this is if we bond our hearts together as one. Without it, it will take a huge step down." I added.

"Just remember the quote always then, Nifty. You'll definitely be able to do this." Sonic responded. I gave him a high five.

"Of course I will. NOW LET'S GO CHALLENGE THIS GYM, GOSH DARN IT!" I screamed excitedly. And we just walked there. I wanted to go in another way rather than doing the "CHAAAAAAARRGE!" kind of approach.

* * *

We once again did the whole puzzle/obby thing in this gym. It wasn't too bad, and Sonic fought all the trainers during our first time here. He did beat me in a classic Rock Paper Scissors game. After climbing to the top, I saw Sebastian there waiting like usual.

"Oh, look at that! The legendary person who has tamed Groudon!" Sebastian greeted.

"Wazzup, dude. You know what I have come here for." I said with a smirk.

"You're here for the true power of our Pokémon in a battle. If that is the case, show me what you got!" Sebastian demanded.

"Challenge freaking accepted!" I yelled with a smile on my face. I take a deep breath and exhale it out.

 _"Candela... I will remember your quotes to help me through this battle."_ I thought.

* * *

We stepped onto the battlefield. Me on the left side and Sebastian on the right.

A different pyro steps on the left side near the middle. It's different guy because he has a different colored shirt. I will not go into specific detail.

"Okay, we all know the rules of this battle. BEGIN IT ALL!" The pyro shouted.

"Litleo, time to show your awesome power!" Sebastian yelled, and he sent out his first Pokémon. To me, there is only one thing I have to watch out for: OVERHEAT. That's all.

I smooth my spiky hair. Seriously though, my hair is not dyed. I was _born_ with the yellow-orange hair color. I'm not too sure why, but it's cool.

"Rhyhorn! Let's go!" I shouted, and then I sent out my first Pokémon. Type advantage, yes, but I just have to believe. Rhyhorn lets out a loud roar as he lands on the battlefield.

"How about make the first move? I insist, my friend." Sebastian said.

"If you say so." I replied. I raised my hand up in the air, then pointed to Litleo.

"Rhyhorn, start this battle with Horn Attack!" I commanded. Rhyhorn's horn turns much bigger, and he charges towards Litleo.

"Noble Roar!" Sebastian shouted. Litleo roars loudly, preventing Rhyhorn from landing his physical attack. Rhyhorn backs away to the side once the roar makes its land.

"Okay, good start. Now use Smack Down!" I continued. Every Pokémon trainer has to at least have a back up plan.

Rhyhorn charges his attack.

"Now UNLEASH!" I screamed. A huge rock was heading towards the opposing Pokémon.

"Use Overheat, let's go!" Sebastian yelled. Yep, I knew it. The powerful fire wave disintegrated the attack with no struggles. But he doesn't know my little idea.

"Rhyhorn, use Bulldoze!" I demanded. The ground shakes lightly, and it gets a bit more powerful by the second. Litleo yelps, and he ends up falling because of the shaking ground. Sebastian did get surprised by my sudden plan, but I don't blame him. I can tell from the look on his face.

"Wow. You know your stuff, don't you?" Sebastian complimented.

"I do, don't I?" I teased.

"Your shirt tells me you have the strength inside. Could you really be interested in joining Team Valor?" Sebastian asked.

"As much as I want to, I don't know yet." I replied.

"It might actually come true, Nifty! You've loved them for a long time!" Sonic called out, and his Pokémon cheered with him.

"You can always think for the future. But now is the present. Litleo, use Take Down!" Sebastian shouted abruptly. Seems about right. Litleo surrounds itself with high amounts of energy once again, then charges to Rhyhorn.

"Horn Attack!" I shouted. Once again, his horn turns big and he charges towards the opponent. These attacks collide like always, and both Pokémon back away.

"Okay, now Litleo... use Overheat!" Sebastian yelled. If I could command to use a move to go right through that attack, I would. But I got nothing. But I _do_ have another idea. I don't know if it'll work, but it's worth trying.

The attack comes closer. I point upwards. Rhyhorn understood me without even turning. Why? Well, when I did that, Rhyhorn jumps, and he avoided the attack.

"Hmm..." I heard Sebastian mumble. Rhyhorn comes down at fast speed. But Litleo was prepared, and he avoided the attack. Told ya I'm not surprised. If there is one disadvantage Rhyhorn has, it's his speed.

"You tried to surprise attack me again, didn't you?" Sebastian asked me.

"Yes, but I do know the same exact strategy won't work after a while." I responded.

"Litleo, Take Down one last time!" Sebastian shouted. I wait for Litleo to get closer. Any moment now...

"Rhyhorn, dodge!" I yelled. Despite him having pretty low speed, he dodges like a pro.

"Now, shake the ground continuously with Bulldoze!" I screamed. The ground shook, and Litleo stops its attack and takes the damage.

"No Fire type can ever try to resist the shakiness of a Ground type move." I told him.

"Y-Yeah, I mean... it's the one thing I am worried about." Sebastian said hesitantly. Have I really gotten him nervous? Wow. I guess sometimes I _can_ be that creepy.

"Now, let's try this, Sebastian. Rhyhorn, use Stomp!" I demanded. Rhyhorn jumps, lower than the last time, and comes down once again.

"Overheat!" Sebastian exclaimed. CRAP. Rhyhorn had no chance of dodging, so he was forced to take the attack. He was a tiny bit hurt, but he still looked functional.

"Can you still battle?" I asked my Pokémon. Rhyhorn gets up, it looks just fine.

"Horn, Rhy!" The Ground/Rock type yells.

"Alright, that's what I'm talking about!" I complimented.

"Litleo, Take Down! Show him!" Sebastian exclaimed.

"Dodge it again, and then use Smack Down!" I screamed. Rhyhorn avoids the huge attack, and then proceeds to use another one. Litleo looks at the rock, and it attempts to run.

BAM!

Too late for dat, sucka. Litleo got hit by the huge rock, and it lays on the ground, fainted.

"Litleo is unable to battle! Rhyhorn is the winner!" The referee shouted, and he extends his arm to my side of the battlefield.

"YEAH BOY! THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE!" I screamed.

"You're one eager teen." Sebastian said to me as he returns his first Pokémon.

"Understandable." I responded with a shrug.

"Let's keep going on with this battle," Sebastian said, "Now it's your turn, Growlithe!"

The next opposing Fire type has come. This might be a bit harder, but it's nothing I cannot accomplish as long as I have my team.

Heck, I think maybe I can beat this guy with just one Pokémon. It rarely even happens, but I do know it does.

"Okay, Rhyhorn. Let's start this turn just like before. Start with Smack Down!" I told him. Another Rock is coming forward.

"Flame Wheel!" Sebastian yelled. Growlithe turns itself into a ball, and surrounds itself in flames. Once the Rock comes, it just bounces off.

"Holy crap!" I shrieked. And the Flame Wheel was charging forward. I just have to keep going with these counters. It seems to be the only way.

"Use Stomp!" I exclaimed. Rhyhorn jumps, avoiding the attack. Growlithe stops its violent spinning, and stops, confused. Perfect. Without ANY warning, Rhyhorn comes down and smooshes the crap out of him.

"Oh my Arceus!" Sebastian screamed.

"Didn't see it coming? Didn't think so." I said in a playful kind of way.

"Growlithe, use Overheat!" Sebastian commanded. The giant, fiery wave forms. Time to brace ourselves.

"Rhyhorn, dodge to the side!" I yelled. Rhyhorn runs as the wave comes more closer. But Growlithe was prepared, and it moved the wave to where Rhyhorn was.

Wow, that's... nice. With that out of the way, the wave hits either way. Once the attack cleared up, my eyes widened with horror.

Rhyhorn was burnt. It was all highlighted in a pinkish-red color.

"Oh Arceus... you gotta be kidding me." I groaned, and then it led with a face palm.

"Nifty! Don't give up just yet!" Sonic called out.

"Of course I'm not gonna give up! One little status effect ain't gonna stop me!" I screamed. Like I said, certain quotes from my idol are buzzing around in my head.

"One thing I know about burns is that it can affect a battle in a huge way," I mumbled, "When a user is burnt, not only do they take damage... but their attacks lower as well. Therefore, I must make sure no opposing attacks hit me, else it won't end well. While doing that, I'll use my attacks to my advantage."

I look at Sebastian and give him a determined smile.

"Be prepared, cause I know what I'm doing." I warned. Truth is, I don't have a plan. I know. Ridiculous, right? All I know is all of this stuff that I thought of.

"Those burns though... not sure if your Pokémon can handle it." Sebastian told me.

"Oh, they know," I said with a smug attitude, "During my small training session with Sonic, I told not only his Pokémon, but mine as well... the status effects and how they can affect the battle."

"Well than... prove it." Sebastian demanded.

"Rhyhorn. You ready to show this guy what we're made of when a status is in effect?" I asked him.

"Rhy!" The small rhino Pokémon exclaims, and then he stumbles a bit because of his burn. But he shakes it off and gets into a battling stance.

"Very well then. Now, use Horn Attack!" I shouted as I pointed at Sebastian's Growlithe. Rhyhorn prepares its regular attack. Not bad for a start. Not bad at all.

"Flame Wheel!"

Uh oh! I had to think quick. And quicker than usual, because the Flame Wheel is coming. Think, Nifty. Think!

I smiled and I snapped my fingers. An idea is being formed.

"Dodge it quick, and use Bulldoze!" I yelled. Rhyhorn sidesteps, and then it makes the ground shake. Growlithe yelps, and it fell onto the floor. It didn't do much since Rhyhorn has its status, but it worked. It freaking worked.

"Now that he is distracted... use Smack Down!" I continued. Rhyhorn shoots a big rock, and it goes upwards a bit.

"Reversal!"

Growlithe charges itself right at the rock, and breaks it easily. I swear, if it actually tried to go for Rhyhorn, then that would be a different story altogether. But this was the perfect time for my next step.

"Horn Attack." I said. When Growlithe lands back on the ground, it was met face to face with a rocky horn.

"YAY! Go Nifty!" Sonic cheered, and his Pokémon cheer with him.

"Your Pokémon really trust you." Sebastian complimented.

"I somehow think Sonic and I have this certain love for Pokémon," I explained, "And plus, that's what's helping us in this battle. Yes, Rhyhorn may not have the best speed, but he still has some great attacks and defense in these kinds of fights."

"Well... let's continue it some more. Growlithe, use Overheat!" Sebastian said abruptly. Here comes the big fiery wave. Hope I can do this. I take a deep breath and exhale it out.

"Dodge the attack by using Stomp!" I shouted. Rhyhorn dodges the Attack once again, high into the air always, and once the attack is gone, lands on the ground with a CRASH. It even made Growlithe trip! Yes, this is my chance!

Rhyhorn stumbles again. I think he opponent is almost down! We can't stop here!

"HORN ATTACK!" I screamed. Charges forward again. Yes. Come on, you can do it, Rhyhorn.

"REVERSAL!" I heard Sebastian scream.

 _BAM!_

Smoke scatters across the battlefield. I shield my eyes with my arms. Who could've won this?

When the smoke is gone, I saw that Growlithe fainted...

"Growlithe is unable to battle! R-"

But the pyro was interrupted when Rhyhorn growls softly and falls down. The swirly eyes. Yep. Both are down.

"Both Growlithe AND Rhyhorn are unable to fight!"

"You did amazing out there, buddy. Take a good rest." I said softly, and then I put Rhyhorn back in his ball. Sebastian did the same with his Growlithe. He only has one more Pokémon to battle. I have two, so this leads me with a big advantage.

"Let's end this." I said.

"You can try." Sebastian responded. I pulled out a Poke Ball.

"Of course I will. Frogadier! You're up!" I shouted, and threw the ball in the air. Frogadier makes a chill pose as he lands.

"Magmar. Go." Sebastian said, and he sent out his last Pokémon. This is his "secret weapon". Out of all of Sebastian's Pokémon, this Magmar is the only one I should be worried about.

"Okay... let's start off simple for a little bit of time to warm up. Quick Attack!" I commanded. Frogadier surrounds himself with energy, and he charges at Magmar.

"Flame Burst!"

Magmar shoots a ball of fire, but I give Frogadier a signal to dodge. I simply tilt my head a couple times to the right.

He does so, and lands the weak attack. Like I mentioned, it didn't do much, it was just some time to warm up.

"Now to pull out the big guns. Use Water Pulse!" I shouted. Frogadier does a ninja flip to back away from his opponent. Then he shoots his big sphere made of water.

"Use Flame Burst one more time!" Sebastian yelled. The small flame and water orb collide. Both made a small cloud of smoke. Could barely even see.

"Don't give up! Quick Attack!" I exclaimed. Frogadier runs. He couldn't see because of the smoke, but he kept going.

"OVERHEAT!" I heard a scream. Frogadier runs away, but the Overheat was faster, and it did a MASSIVE amount of damage. Frogadier was already almost down?!

"How did Overheat do that much damage?!" I complained.

"We have a nice bond as well." Sebastian replied. No. This cannot end here. I need to think of a strategy in order to avoid getting hit. Frogadier cannot take any more hits, or we might lose this fight.

"Come on, Nifty. Think of something." I mumbled at myself angrily. I stand still for a moment.

What would Candela do?

* * *

 _-Nifty: 8 years old POV- -Scene: Inside the Weaka's House, Mitis Town. Nifty's room-_

 _I sat in front of the TV, interested seeing what would happen. I'm not a news person, but I am looking at this right now, and I am thinking: Wow. She really_ is _amazing._

 _The news scene was right now at Team Valor HQ. Apparently, what was happening was that this evil group called Team Rocket was infiltrating them. There were a bunch of Valor members battling against the Rocket Grunts with their Pokémon._

 _And in the center of it all... there was Candela, battling another Grunt. The Valor Boss had her usual Flareon with her, while the Team Rocket Grunt had a Sandshrew._

 _"Ha Ha Ha Ha! Even with your strongest Pokémon, you cannot defeat all of us together right now!" The Rocket Grunt laughed. Candela just scoffed, and then she pumped her fist._

 _"You think that. But remember... all Pokémon connected with their trainers can combine their strengths and win any battle possible!" She shouted. And her Flareon cheered with her while jumping excitedly._

 _"Your talking makes me hurl. Now to end you and all of Team Valor! Sandshrew, use Fury Swipes!" The Grunt commanded. Sandshrew's claws were much sharper, and he ran._

 _"DON'T LET HIM DEFEAT YOU, CANDELA! DEFEAT THAT GUY!" I screamed at the TV. Of course, she didn't hear me. I just needed to be in there as an extra audience for what was happening right now._

 _"Flareon. Let's combine our own strengths! Dodge all his attacks, and do not stop!" The Valor boss explained. Flareon yaps with a nod. The Sandshrew came closer, and Flareon dodges them all with ease. The Sandshrew keeps attacking endlessly, but Flareon was able to dodge em all._

 _"Now use Fire Fang!" Candela continued. Flareon sidesteps a bit, and then opens its mouth wide, its teeth covered in fire. It bit Sandshrew's arm very roughly, and it was an immediate one hit KO._

 _"Everyone, retreat!" The Rocket Grunt shouted to the others, still surprised by what just happened. He returned Sandshrew to its Poke Ball, and all the Grunts from Team Rocket run away._

 _"YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHH! TEAM VALOR FOR LIFE! LET'S GOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I was so happy that they won. She never fails to impress me._

* * *

-Nifty's POV-

I heard that quote buzzing around in my head.

"We can combine our strengths... to win any battle possible." I whispered. I lower my head. A few seconds later, my small frown turned into a huge grin. I look back at Sebastian with the most determined look I could make.

"Magmar, use Feint Attack!" Sebastian commanded. Magmar was now in dark energy. I smirked.

"Frogadier. Combine my strength with yours, just like Candela did. Dodge all those attacks coming to you, and do not stop until you drop." I said.

"Dier!" Frogadier says with a nod. When Magmar came close, Frogadier swiftly dodges, leaving Magmar flabbergasted.

"Lick." I continue. Frogadier licks Magmar with its slobbery tongue. He even got paralyzed as a result! YES!

"No! How can this be?!" Sebastian exclaimed, his hands clenched into fists.

"This is what true power is! Frogadier, use Round!" I yelled. Frogadier screeches as a green ring is headed towards Magmar. This made the Fire type cover its ears from the pain of that super high note.

"Great job! Now use Quick Attack!"

The move lands, and Magmar falls down. But it's not over yet. I can tell that Sebastian is still not done.

"OVERHEAT! DON'T MAKE IT STOP!" Sebastian screamed. Here it comes. The big attack that will ruin it all. But I simply smiled, because of my plan.

"Use Quick Attack once again, and dodge it all!" I shouted. Frogadier runs from side to side. It even ran on the walls to avoid for a few seconds! When he did that, he landed on the ground before falling out of bounds.

Magmar tried to continue its attack, but the paralysis ended it.

"WATER PULSE! FINISH HIM!" I screamed. Magmar's eyes widened once it saw that orb coming at him. He couldn't dodge. It's all over.

Magmar fainted. The attack was THAT powerful.

"Magmar is unable to battle! Frogadier wins... which means the winner is Nifty, the challenger!" The referee yells, and then points to me.

"YES!" I bellowed. I formed my hands to make a "rock on" pose, and held them high into the air.

A few seconds later after my over exaggerated cheer, I saw Sebastian walk up to me.

"Well, guess you did it. You have earned the Brimstone Badge." He said, and then he gave me the badge.

"Awesome!" I exclaimed.

"In addition to it, just like with Sonic, you will have the TM for Overheat." Sebastian continued, and then he gave me the overpowered TM. Speaking of Sonic, he, along with his team, walked up to me.

"Great job! That was an awesome battle to see!" He complimented.

"Yes. You really do have the potential," Sebastian added, "Not only we're you able to stop Groudon... but able to defeat a tough Gym Leader as well."

"Indeed I was." I said, and then I took a glance at Frogadier, who smiled at me.

* * *

Sonic and I exit the gym. I had Frogadier by my side, and Sonic had only Lycanroc.

"How were you able to defeat him though, Nifty? You seemed flustered for a second." Sonic asked me.

"Well, I had to think of a plan from something I watched in the past," I explained, "When I was 8 years old, I saw news that a group who called themselves Team Rocket infiltrated Team Valor's HQ. Candela was able to defeat one of the Grunts, and they all retreated because of how strong she is."

"I think I've heard about that before." Sonic said, getting into a thinking pose.

"NIFTY! SONIC!" A voice screamed. And it startled us a bit. It's Jake, and he looked like he was about to faint because of how much he has been running.

"For Arceus sake, Jake! Can you NOT yell if you're looking for us?" I snapped.

"Sorry, Nifty. But something just happened in Mitis Town. It's about Sonic." Jake explained. This got me surprised.

"What about me?" Sonic asked my other friend.

"It's... your parents. Team Eclipse has captured them as well." Jake said solemnly. Sonic was now shocked by that.

"My... parents..?" Sonic mumbled to himself. I walked over to comfort him.

"Stay strong, pal. We'll get them back. Team Eclipse abducted my parents too, so you're not the only one." I said, hoping to cheer him up.

"Well... at least I have this." Sonic continued, and then shows me a different necklace. It was way different from the Brick Bronze or whatever. It was all gray, with a silver, metallic sphere in the middle.

"All they told me was that this can open up 'true potential'." Sonic said.

"Could our necklaces be connected somehow?" I wondered as I pulled out the Bronze Brick necklace my parents gave me.

Nothing happened, but... I could've sworn I saw a small glow between the two of them.

Sonic's parents and mine are very good friends. My parents are archaeologists like I mentioned before, and his are scientists. That's how Sonic and I became friends in the first place.

"I will do whatever I can to help you two out." Jake said.

"Of course, pal. And we will never stop." I replied.

"We will keep going on our adventure, never sleep, and don't do anything until we get them back." Jake said nonsensically.

"What? Hell no! It's very late! Don't convince me with goofy talk, Jake!" I warned. Jake just shrugged.

"I'll go get some rest as well." Jake said, rubbing his hands behind his head. He then walks to the Pokémon Center.

"We should go too." I suggested to Sonic.

"Agreed." Sonic responded.

* * *

We sat inside one of the benches inside the Pokémon Center. We were waiting for our rooms to be available so we can stay here for the night.

"We have to get our parents back. We defeated one of Team Eclipse's Admins. I know we can do this." Sonic said.

"Of course we will. We're in this together." I replied with a determined smile.

"Excuse me, you two young men." A voice said. We looked in front of us, and we see an old lady looking at us.

"Yes ma'am?" I asked, putting on my most respectful attitude ever.

"Um... I have this Pokémon egg I got from a friend. But I can't take care of it, I have too much on my life right now." The old lady replied.

"Do you need some help?" Sonic asked.

"I want one of you young men to take care of this egg for me." The lady says, and she shows us the egg. It was white, and it had some red and blue triangles scattered across it.

I think I know this Pokémon... but I can't quite place it. It's right on the tip of my tongue.

"I'll take care of it." Sonic insisted. And he carefully takes the egg.

"Thank you so much. Please do be careful." The old lady said, and then she slowly walks away. Glad we were able to do a good deed.

* * *

We were inside our given room. There were 2 beds across from each other. Each of them had 2 pillows and a green blanket.

I still hold onto my bag.

"I'm gonna change. I'll be right back." I said to Sonic. And then I walk to the bathroom so I can change into my pajamas.

A few minutes later, I come out. My pajama clothing consisted of a short sleeve red shirt and long, black pants.

"I'm gonna do the same, Nifty. It has been a great day." Sonic responds, and then walks away so he can change as well. While that's going on, I look outside the window. A nice breeze with a beautiful night sky.

"Eight. Eight badges. That's how much we need in this region," I said to myself, "... Two. That's how much we have right now. We have a long way before we can truly stop Team Eclipse. We need to try harder, and we'll finally achieve our goal."

Our Pokémon were already sleeping inside their Poke Balls. Sonic walks to me. His pajamas were a black long sleeve shirt with dark blue, long pants.

"Let's get some sleep, Nifty." He said as he put a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah. Let's." I replied. I put my sunglasses on a small desk, and then I lay down on one of the beds and cover myself up. Falling asleep was no problem at all.

All I hope... is that tomorrow... will be a better day.

* * *

*The next day, 9:00 AM*

Another day, another adventure. Sonic and I just finished our normal morning routine, and we are now outside in Brimber City. We are wearing the same clothes as last time. Sonic held his newly obtained egg. It was in an orange container with a big hole that was large enough to put the egg inside. The egg was also surrounded by glass so it can be protected.

"I guess we're going to the next city." Sonic told me.

"Yes, of course. Let's go." I replied, and we headed towards the gate for the next route.

We exit the gate after a small walk. It looked much more... normal. Route 6 and 5 was more like a savannah. This one is a normal grassland with a river, if I do look closer. Luckily, we healed our Pokémon before we came here. That's always a good thing.

As we continue our stroll, we spot a trainer. He had a green shirt.

"I'll get this guy." I insisted.

"Ok Nifty." Sonic said. Fast to agreement then. Aight. The trainer notices me as I walk by.

"Hey there! Oh, neat. You have the badge from the Brimber City Gym!" He complimented.

"Why, yes. I do." I replied.

"You must be tough. Let's have a battle!" The guy continued.

"Well... if you insist." I said, winking one eye while shrugging. I'm gonna be honest here. Throughout my journey so far, there's always certain people that are pretty decent at battling. Others just... don't.

* * *

First battle on Route 7. Let's see how this turns out.

"Marill! Go!" The green shirt guy shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. He has a total of three, according to my Pokédex. A Water and Fairy type, huh? This might leave me at a disadvantage. But I'm pretty dang strong, so I might not be.

"Nidorino, I choose you!" I throw a Poke Ball up in the air, sending out my Poison type. This would give me a big advantage. Fairy types are weak to Poison and Steel. It's perfect.

"Marill, use Bubble Beam!"

The Aqua Mouse shoots a thin line of bubbles. I stood there for a moment.

"Horn Attack." I said. With Nidorino's tough big horn, he breaks the bubbles with ease.

"Rollout!"

Marill turns into a ball, and spins rapidly.

"Use Double Kick!" I shouted. Nidorino stops Marill's spinning with a kick from his hind legs. It left Marill FLYING.

"Now use Poison Sting." I continue. Nidorino shoots a small triangle filled with poison, and it got a direct hit. Normally, Poison Sting is a weak move. But it defeated Marill. That counts for something, right?

The man returns his first Pokémon. Now his next one is ready.

"Rattata! Go!" I've heard lots about the small purple rat. Should be pretty easy. After all, Normal types are weak to Fighting type moves. And what do I have? A Fighting type MOVE.

You know what? I think I'll try and lure this guy a bit.

"Rattata, use Hyper Fang!" My opponent yelled. Rattata's teeth grew a bit sharper.

"Okay, Nidorino. Dodge to the side." I said. And he does so. After all, Rattata is a small Pokémon. Nidorino has the slightly faster speed.

"He's distracted! Now use Quick Attack!" The guy shouted again. Wait for it.

"Nidorino, use Double Kick!" I demanded. And just like that, Rattata fell for it. It got close to Nidorino, and the Poison Pin Pokémon just kicks it. Too easy. Now he has one more. I wonder who it will be.

"It's up to you, Nidorina!"

Ooh! Nice little match up, I see! But of course, this is the part where I switch. I return Nidorino, and get ready for my next Pokémon to battle.

"Charmeleon! You ready?" I shouted as I sent out my Fire type starter.

"Start with Dragon Rage!" And Charmeleon already shoots his attack. Yes. Perfect.

"Dodge it, and then use Scratch!"

Nidorina dodges, and then it runs forward again.

"Charmeleon, use Metal Claw." Charmeleon blocks the Scratch with his metallic claws.

"And now use Ember." I continue. And now Charmeleon hits Nidorina with the flame. It wasn't an instant KO, but that is fine.

"Now Nidorina, use Double Kick!" The man shouted. Well, I already know what to expect. And the outcome.

"Charmeleon, avoid it and then use Cut!" I screamed. Charmeleon does so. He made a thin, sharp line made of energy, and slices Nidorina. Now she is down. Another win. Yes.

"I see how you earned that badge now..." The guy complimented.

"Yes. That is true." I said quietly.

* * *

Let's see what other kind of trainers were gonna expect. Immediately up ahead. I guess there's just certain people who like to hang around certain Routes for no reason. The next person is a girl with blonde hair, a straw hat, and a pink shirt with blue pants.

"Now it is my turn." Sonic insisted.

"Go for it, dude." I said. And he approaches the girl.

"After I have breakfast with my Pokémon, we come out here to train for a few hours." She explained.

"That's good. You can test it on me." Sonic responded.

* * *

I stand by and watch. Sonic puts his egg on the ground, which was still in the container.

"Hee hee... here we go, Budew!" The girl said excitedly as she sent out her first Pokémon. Okay, it's a small one. If it was me there, this would be easier since I have a Fire type. Sonic can still do this though.

"Quilladin! Go!" Sonic shouted. His starter was sent out.

"Use Pin Missile!" Quilladin shoots out spiky needles from the spikes on his "hat".

"Suck it all in with Mega Drain!" The lady said. Budew absorbs the attack. That easy? Wow, nice play. Really nice play.

"Now use Stun Spore!" She continued. Budew sends out a bunch of yellow particles that I immediately know is not good.

"You're not the only one to counter. Quilladin, block it all with Rollout!" Sonic shouted. Quilladin goes right through the attack in his spinning ball form.

"Now use Pin Missile one last time!"

Budew tried to avoid the Bug type move, but it's way too late. It's a small Pokémon, and it does have low speed. That counts for something.

"Okay then. Let's see how good you do against my Beautifly!" The pink shirt girl shouted, and then sent out her last Pokémon. It's better at least.

"Quilladin, return." Sonic said, and Quilladin was back in his ball.

"Lycanroc! Show your power!" Sonic yelled. Oh yeah! The awesome wolf Pokémon. It looks ready for action, since he has a smile and dug one of his paws onto the ground.

"Beautifly, use Silver Wind!" The butterfly Pokémon flaps its wings very fast, and a literal silver Wind was made. Sonic smirked. Lycanroc does have that immense power.

"Lycanroc, use Accelerock!" Sonic exclaimed. Lycanroc charges up, and he goes right through the Silver Wind. That's what's up!

"Now use Rock Throw!" Beautifly wasn't prepared for that sudden change, so it took the hit easily. Since both Bug types and Flying types are weak to Rock, it was an instant KO. Boy, that was fast.

"Well, now it's that time of day for me to heal my Pokémon..." The girl said in an embarrassed way. Definitely. You just got rekt by a Dusk Form Lycanroc.

* * *

"Good battle! We should go again sometime!" Sonic complimented.

"Sure... anyway, let's keep going." I offered. And we keep going. We walk along a patch of tall grass. Nothing we couldn't handle. On the other side, there was a man with black spiky hair and a gray hoodie.

"You know, it's like we're taking turns battling every time." I said with a small laugh. I walk to to the man.

"One day, I'll have stunt doubles to do all of my Pokémon battles for me!" He exclaimed. This left me very confused.

"How the hell does that make any sense?" I whispered to myself.

* * *

Okay, let's fight this... weird guy.

"Come out, Minccino!" He yelled, and he sent out his first Pokémon. Normal type. I heard its evolution is pretty OP.

"Well then... I'm gonna use Nidorino!" I yelled back. My Poison type was back on the battlefield. Bring it on!

"Minccino, use Swift!" The chinchilla Pokémon swifts it's tail, and a bunch of stars come out.

"Quick, dodge it!" I exclaimed. Nidorino avoids the attack. Perfect, now to advise a plan.

"Double Slap!" The man yelled. Minccino comes closer.

"When the time is right, Nidorino, use Double Kick!" I explained. When Minccino tries to attack, Nidorino backs away. Then it uses the super effective move. OHKO! Yep, that's right.

This guy had three Pokémon. Seems fair enough.

"Surskit, go!" So, that's his second Pokémon, huh? When the Pokémon came out, it glided across the ground for a bit.

Time to do something different.

"Return, Nidorino," I put him back and pull out my Great Ball. "And go... Rhyhorn!"

Yes, Rhyhorn May have low speed and a huge weakness on Water types, but... Surskit is also a Bug type, so this will definitely work.

"Rhyhorn, use Horn Attack!" I started. Looks like he's charging up. He's running to his opponent. Good.

"Use Agility!" Surskit dodges to this side using high speed. It grows even higher now.

"Stop in your tracks, then use Bulldoze!" I continued. Rhyhorn stops, then it shakes the ground. Surskit didn't expect it, so it tripped. Its four legs were wide open.

"Smack Down!" I screamed. Rhyhorn shoots a rock, and Surskit took the hit. It's was, once again, a KO. I guess we really are THAT powerful against these guys.

"What's your last Pokémon, dude?" I asked.

"Right here. And this Pokémon is Flaafy!" Right as the guy with the gray hoodie said that, his next Pokémon was released. I'll keep going then, since I know what to expect.

"Use Thunder Shock!" It was at this moment that he knew... he done messed up. Rhyhorn stays there when the Electric bolt comes to him. It lands.

But Rhyhorn didn't take any damage. Cause it's a Ground type. Partly.

"I know my types at least. Rhyhorn, use Bulldoze." I said bluntly. Rhyhorn makes the ground shake again. It trips, takes damage, but it was not a KO.

"Well, if Electric won't work... then use Tackle!" Flaafy runs once it's trainer said that.

"Let's fight back with Horn Attack!" I said with a smirk. Rhyhorn grows its big horn, and hey collide. A couple seconds later, Rhyhorn ends the attack by overpowering the other one. Too freaking easy. But then again, they aren't really major to my journey.

"Pokémon battles are just too dangerous for someone of my status." The gray hoodie guy said.

"Yeah... that's true." I said, but not too mean so I don't hurt his feelings.

* * *

Sonic and I kept walking forward. We begin to cross a bridge that has a huge river below.

"Pretty soon, you'll be on this adventure with me." Sonic whispered to the egg. What caught me by surprise is that the egg bounced with joy.

"Wow, it actually listened." I exclaimed.

"Looks like it can't wait to see me." Sonic said with a chuckle. We walk along, and there was another person there. Now it's Sonic's turn. The man looked pretty fancy. He had a white suit and a black hat.

"I was the first person to stand here and wait for other trainers on this bridge. I guess you can say I am pretty cool." He bragged.

"Maybe. Or you could be lonely." I said with a teasing smile.

"Anyways, let's battle." The fancy guy continued.

"You got it!" Sonic replied with a smile and a wink.

* * *

This might be a good battle. Hopefully, I don't get expectations high.

"Surskit!" The hipster shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Okay, Sonic still has an advantage.

"It's your turn, Lycanroc!" Sonic cheered. The orange wolf came out when Sonic threw the ball.

"Surskit, use Quick Attack!" The hipster yelled. Surskit is fast! Ooh, but Lycanroc is faster.

"Counter!" Sonic exclaimed. Lycanroc raises its paw, and counters it with huge strength. It sent Surskit back.

"Now Bite it!" Sonic continues. When Surskit got up, it was back on the ground when Lycanroc bites it roughly. I swear, this wolf is broken!

What's the next Pokémon gonna be from this guy?

"Fletchinder! Show him!" Okay, that was... not a good choice. Prepare to meet an easy loss, dude.

"Use Ember!" The hipster shouted. Fletchinder shoots a flame. Small, but okay.

"Lycanroc, Dodge it using Accelerock!" Sonic screamed. Lycanroc avoids it, and it rams right into Fletchinder once it got closer. See? Told ya. This wolf though. I can't wait to see the look on Kevin's face.

"MASQUERAIN! Please end it for us!" The white suit hipster screamed. When Masquerain came out, it used its ability, Intimidate. But Lycanroc didn't even flinch.

"Grr... whatever! Use Gust!" Masquerain flaps its wings, and a small gust of wind was coming.

"Lycanroc, block it with Rock Throw!" Sonic shouted. Lycanroc's eyes turned bright red, and it used the powerful move to easy dissolve it.

"NOW USE ACCELEROCK!" Sonic screamed. The smoke didn't clear up, so Masquerain got hit out of nowhere. Easy victory.

"I should've just gone and hung out by myself at Sawsbuck Coffee this morning..." The hipster said in a disappointed tone.

"Sorry. But it's all fair. Thanks to Lycanroc." Sonic said with a smile.

"Roc, Lycanroc!" The wolf barked happily.

* * *

After crossing the bridge, we see a path to our right. There's a green, small house to our left. We decided to go to the house. There was a small ramp that goes up to it. We went inside the house. No one was home. There's just objects.

"Crap. No one's here." I said with a groan.

"Let's keep going then." Sonic offered.

"Yeah." I responded. We exit the house and go the other way. There's another trainer by another small bridge. Holy crap, there's a lot of trainers here! Why am I even asking myself this stuff. Ugh.

I keep going about to cross the bridge. The girl beside the starting point noticed me walking by.

"My parents don't even know that I have Pokémon." She told me.

"Dang. That sucks." I replied.

"If they found out I came out here to train, they wouldn't be very happy with me." She continued.

"My mouth is shut. I will never tell. Trust me." I said.

* * *

And that is why the battle is starting now, without a response.

Wait.

...

SUGAR HONEY ICED TEA.

"I will start with you, Skitty!" The rebellious girl shouted, sending out her first Pokémon. Another Normal type? Well, I guess you know who I'm going for.

"Get ready, Nidorino! A fight is on!" I yelled, and sent out my first Pokémon.

"Just... use Double Kick." I said in a bored tone.

"Quick, Skitty! Use-"

 _SMACK! SMACK!_

It's too late. Again. Considering you were training and don't want your parents to find out... you got a long way to become a professional battler.

Oh yeah. Instant KO.

"Now you, Glameow!" And the girl sent out YET ANOTHER Normal type. I'm not mad by it. Just kinda annoyed a bit is all. We've been through a lot.

"Use Feint Attack!"

Something useful now, I see. Glameow's eyes turn a bright pink, and dark energy surrounded it.

"Stay aware of your surroundings, Nidorino." I warned. Nidorino was paying attention to the running pattern of this attack.

"Now use Poison Sting!" I exclaimed. Nidorino got startled a little bit by my yell. I guess that was a LITTLE too far. But the Poison Pin Pokémon still landed his attack either way.

"And now, charge up and use Horn Attack!" I screamed. Glameow slowly got up from the last attack, and was sent back when another hit it. Didn't see that one coming, did ya?

"Ok... it's your turn now, Herdier!" The rebellious girl shouted, sending out her last Pokémon. Two cats and a dog. Okay, still though. I can understand with Gym Leaders, they have experience in battling with a team of the same type. But regular trainers? Not so much...

I return Nidorino. As much as I would go for another Double Kick sooner or later, I wanted to make this a bit more "fair", if you know what I mean.

"Come out, Frogadier!" And my starter is on the field.

"Water Pulse!"

And Herdier began to run from the orb. Nope, not today. It got caught at the very last second. When the orb dissolved, Herdier now got confusion. Noice!

"Herdier, use Bite!"

Herdier is coming. Frogadier prepares. But before anything could happen anywhere...

 _BAM!_

Herdier was a bit off. It bit the ground in front of my starter.

"Okay, now finish him with Quick Attack." I said while smirking. In just half a second, the speedy attack lands. We're done. This battle is over.

"This is what I get for ignoring my parents..." The girl said in defeat.

"Just practice some battling. Maybe they'll understand." I said in sympathy.

* * *

Sonic and I cross the small bridge. There was a small patch of tall grass. Easily accessible. There was more tall grass up ahead. There was also some guy with a green buttoned shirt.

I'll let Sonic handle this guy.

"Go get him, dude." I said with a wink. Sonic nods, and he walks on to meet face to face with the guy.

"I sell Pokémon insurance. You can use it in case your Pokémon get hurt. Allow me to demonstrate." He explained.

"Okay, show me then." Sonic insisted.

* * *

"I'll hold onto the egg, Sonic." I said.

"Oh. Thanks, Nifty! I really need it." Sonic replied, feeling relieved. He handed me the container holding the egg. I just back away so I don't interfere with the battle.

"Poliwag! Let's show this guy some insurance!"

And that quote from that insurance selling guy... was the most stupidest quote I ever heard.

"Brionne! Go!" Sonic shouted. He sent out his first Pokémon. Quilladin does have the advantage, but Brionne hasn't gotten to battle on this Route yet. I can appreciate Sonic gives all his Pokémon a chance. Like me.

"Aqua Jet!"

Brionne does a happy twirl before getting serious and prepares her attack. Surrounded in water, it charges.

"Poliwag, use Water Gun!"

Poiwag shoots a stream of water, and Brionne goes through it for a bit before jumping high into the air, cancelling her attack.

"Great job, Brionne! Now, use Disarming Voice!" Sonic yelled. Brionne screeches, and a beam of hearts comes. It wasn't enough, but it was fine.

"Use Water Gun one more time! Show him!"

"Brionne, freeze it with Icy Wind!" Sonic counters. As another Water Gun was making its way to my friend's Pokémon, the sea lion froze it by blowing a cold mist.

"Finish with Water Pulse." Sonic said. Since Poliwag is a small one, it couldn't get away in time. It was enough to finish the job.

"Mine might be hurt. But I also have a second one as well!" The insurance guy exclaimed with a nervous smile. And he sent out another Poliwag. Dear Arceus... Sonic got a bit peeved as well, so he returned Brionne.

"Ready, Quilladin? Here we go!" Sonic said excitedly. Now THIS oughta be interesting.

The opponent commands his Poliwag to use Water Gun again. And Sonic knew how to get past that.

"Quilladin, Rollout!" He demanded. By just standing in place while spinning rapidly, Quilladin blocks it.

"Now use Needle Arm." Sonic continued with a small chuckle. Quilladin soon rams Poliwag with a spiky arm. Yes, that's easy. Don't have another Poliwag on your team please, dude.

"And now I have... Kadabra!" Insurance dude yelled. Welp, good for him.

"Quilladin, stand by my side for a bit. I'm gonna let Lycanroc deal with this guy." Sonic explained.

"Din!" The Spiny Armored Pokémon yaps back, and stands by Sonic.

"Go, Lycanroc!" My friend shouted. The OP wolf is back.

"Use Accelerock!"

"Kadabra, use Teleport!" When Lycanroc is close, Kadabra uses its teleporting powers to just get away from the attack. Lycanroc got confused, and began to try and ran it again. But once again, Kadabra teleports.

And it kept on doing it to try and tease the wolf.

I caught a glance that Lycanroc looked at Sonic and winked.

"Hmph. Good idea. Counter it then, Lycanroc!" Sonic cheered. Kadabra teleports behind Lycanroc, but since it had a good sense of hearing, it attacked Kadabra in the stomach with its paw.

"Now Bite it!" Sonic screamed. And there we have it. Kadabra lays on the floor, fainted, after being bitten.

"It's a good thing I'm insured." The guy said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah. Big thanks." Sonic said with an awkward smile. Lycanroc didn't really respond to that.

* * *

I gave Sonic the egg back. Now we're off to the next city! Maybe...

We see a ramp that leads to the gate, but it's a bit flooded. I looked past the river, and I see two Bidoofs there on the logs.

"It looks like the dam was built to flood the ramp." Sonic explained. I managed to stifle a laugh.

"Dam." I whispered. I know it's not something I should laugh about, but... you know what? Let's just say I'm not gonna go into detail. There was a workshop there, and it had a huge wheel in front of it, where the river begins.

I send out all of my Pokémon. And Sonic does the same.

"Let's go in here. Maybe we'll get some answers." I explained.

"Maybe they can fix the problem." Sonic added. I gave a simple nod, and we went inside.

It was a bit larger than I imagined it. There were 3 lumberjacks there. Two with red and black plaid shirts, and one with a blue and black one.

"Looks like we'll need to split up. I'll fight one of these guys, and you get the other." Sonic said to me.

"Got it." I replied. Sonic goes to the nearest one.

"I'm tired of all this work. It's time for a break." The one lumberjack said.

"You need to work! We can't get across. But don't worry, a battle might help!" Sonic suggested. And they exchanged their first Pokémon to start the battle. The lumberjack sent out a Bidoof, and Sonic sent Brionne.

While they do that, I come face to face with the second one.

"We let some of our Bidoofs go out to play in the river a little while ago. I want to have some fun too..." He said sadly.

"Well, I think they've had enough fun." I said bluntly.

* * *

Let's get this over with. We need to fix this problem.

"Bidoof! Let's play!" The lumberjack shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Okay, just like that last one. Yeah.

"Well then... you do it, Rhyhorn!" I commanded. Rhyhorn looks at me and nods, letting out a shout in the process. I think Nidorino had enough with Normal types for now.

I was about to let the first move be Bulldoze, but I remembered Sonic was battling as well. I don't want to ruin that part for him. Guess I gotta go for these moves.

"Smack Down!" That's my first choice. The Bidoof's trainer didn't even TRY to say a word. The attack landed nonetheless.

"Alright. Tackle!" The worker shouted.

"Counter using Horn Attack!" I screeched. Collides again. Rhyhorn overpowered it. Bidoof is down.

"I have a second one too!" The lumberjack yelled, and he returned his first Bidoof and sent out his second one. I don't think I could've blamed him for that. I mean... Bidoof can just be a regular other Pokémon...

or it can be the scariest thing at other times.

"Rhyhorn, use Stomp!" I shouted. Since Rhyhorn's weight was considered huge, it did a lot of damage on the little guy.

"Bidoof, Rollout!" The lumberjack yelled. Bidoof turns it self into a small ball, and rolls fast. When it gets close to Rhyhorn, he just pushes it back with his horn.

"Well. Guess that's it then. Rhyhorn, use Horn Attack." I said with a small laugh. The move lands. Of course it freaking did. Maybe he'll have something different for his last Pokémon.

"Raticate, go! Let us beat this guy!"

When Raticate was released, it has its normal color like from the Kanto region. Not black like from Alola. Which obviously means it's a pure Normal type. It's a decent one at least.

"Okay, Rhyhorn. That's enough for now. Charmeleon, you're next for this match." I explained.

"Horn." Rhyhorn says, and it walks back over to me. Charmeleon does a threatening pose to Raticate once it gets close.

"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" Lumberjack shouted.

"Charmeleon, block with Metal Claw!" I exclaimed. Charmeleon's claws turn metallic gray. Raticate begins to bite, but Charmeleon puts its arm up in front, and Raticate ended up biting the claws.

This made Raticate cry out, its teeth in pain from the metal.

"Great job! Now use Dragon Rage!" I continued. A total of 40 damage was made on Raticate when the devastating dragon attack made its move.

"Grr... use Quick Attack!" The lumberjack yelled. Raticate got on all fours, and then it ran.

"Charmeleon, use Ember!" The flame comes closer. But Raticate dodges it.

"Move to the side!" I continued yelling. Charmeleon barely dodges, but he made it.

"Now use Cut!" I screamed. Charmeleon made a blade, and it slashed right on Raticate's body.

It was enough to take him down. Awesome!

"Losing isn't very much fun..." Lumberjack groaned.

"True dat." I replied. I look over to where Sonic was. I saw his Lycanroc being triumphant after defeating a Deerling, which I assumed belonged to that other lumberjack.

"I think I'll just stay on my break a little longer." He moaned.

"Sure. Good idea." Sonic agreed.

"You still have our other friend, Paul, in order to defeat all of us together."

"That sounds fine to me." Sonic said with a smile.

"Lycanroc! Roc!" His Pokémon cheered with him.

* * *

Paul, eh? That must be the name of the lumberjack that has the blue and black plaid shirt. He must be the... second strongest maybe. I don't know if he's the boss or not.

Sonic and I walk to this guy.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Your Bidoofs built a dam, and it flooded the river! You need to let them break it!" Sonic demanded. All his Pokémon shout in an agreement.

"Our Bidoofs built have built a dam? What's wrong with that? They don't mean any harm. That's just what Bidoofs do." Lumberjack Paul retorted back.

"They might not mean any harm, yes, but the river is FLOODED. Just tell them to stop," I said, half calmly, half angry. My Pokémon nod and grunt as an agreement. "Now, I have to ask... why the hell are you not doing anything?"

"We decided to take a little break. The Bidoofs needed a break, too." Paul replied.

"Can't you do something productive now?" Sonic asked.

"I know, let's have a battle. That's a great way to pass the time!" Paul suggested.

"I double dare. Double battle. Sonic and I against YOU. If we win, you're forced to make your Bidoofs destroy the dam." I said.

"Looks like he's okay with it, Nifty. Here we go!" Sonic cheered.

* * *

Just like back then with those Team Eclipse people. Another partner battle.

"Time to show you what we count on: the ones who are up for battling!" Paul started. He sent out two Pokémon. Both of them were Bibarel, which is the evolution of Bidoof.

"I'm picking you, Frogadier!" I said.

"Dier! Froga!" The Bubble Frog shouts happily, and he gets into a battling pose.

"Let's make it all a Water type battle. Brionne, you ready?" Sonic asked.

"Onne! Bri, Bri!" The sea lion cheers. It joined with Frogadier. I wonder how fast this battle might get annoying...

"Both of you! Use Hyper Fang!" Paul commanded. Both of their teeth's grow sharper. Their attacks are coming. Well, let's save a combo attack when the battle is almost over.

"Frogadier, use Round to distract them!" I started. Frogadier screeches, and a huge green note was countering it. The Bibarel yelled as the note pained their ears.

"Nice job, Nifty!" Sonic complimented.

"Hey. New moves mean new strategies." I said with a shrug.

"Now let's make them take some damage! Brionne, use Disarming Voice!" Sonic shouted. Brionne yells out her attack. Both of the Bibarel that this guy had took damage. Disarming Voice IS a move that goes for both opponents, after all.

"Bibarel, use Rollout! The other one, use Headbutt! I don't care who you go for, but just get one of them!" Paul explained. Looks like it's time to go for a combo.

"Brionne, Water Pulse!" Sonic shouted. Brionne forms a water orb from her pink nose.

"And now, Frogadier! Use Quick Attack, make it end!" I finished the statement. When the orb is full, Frogadier unleashes it all with Quick Attack. The Bibarel were scared when they got hit by the attack.

The smoke clears up. One of the Bibarel fainted. The other was almost down.

"Okay fine. Go Pinsir!" Paul yelled, sending out his last Pokémon. A Bug type? Nice,

"Okay, Brionne. You can stop battling for now. Lycanroc and Frogadier can take care of this." Sonic explained. Brionne does a cute cheer, and she walks back to Sonic's side. Sonic looked at the egg, and it shook a bit.

Lycanroc is now here on the battlefield. I wonder what kind of strategies we can come up with.

"Start with Accelerock!"

"HARDEN!"

Pinsir hardened itself to raise its defense. Lycanroc attacks it, and it yells as it was sent back. But it didn't do much since it looked more angry.

"Frogadier, use Round again!" I commanded. It was coming. Pinsir braced itself for the attack. But Bibarel comes in front and pushes Pinsir out of the way, taking the hit itself.

And it fainted as a result.

"Now he's down to one more." I said.

"We'll combo." Sonic whispered. I nod so I don't give away the plan.

"Pinsir, use Double Hit!" Paul screamed. Pinsir threatens our Pokémon with its sharp horns, and it comes closer.

"Frogadier, use Quick Attack to dodge it!" I shouted.

"Lycanroc, do the same thing by using Accelerock!" Sonic added. Both of them use their fastest attacks to dodge Pinsir's mighty claws. It kept trying to attack, but Frogadier and Lycanroc were too fast.

Eventually, after a while, Pinsir was exhausted. I guess they DID really need a break...

"Now Lycanroc! Finish him with Rock Throw!" Sonic yelled. Lycanroc forms small rocks with his long, furry tail.

"And Frogadier! Use Water Pulse and put the rocks inside!" I but in. Both our attacks mixed together, and they unleash. Pinsir's eyes widened in horror. And then BANG.

Pinsir fainted. The battle is over. He didn't even TRY to do a combo. I guess Team Eclipse really know what they're doing.

"I'm still not ready to go back to work." Paul groaned. This angered me a bit more.

"We made a bet, dude." I exclaimed.

* * *

We stare at the lumberjack with a smirky smile.

"Now you have to call the Bidoofs back." Sonic said.

"I really don't feel like going out and rounding up the Bidoofs. It's too much work." Paul said.

"We made a bet. You're forced to." I exclaimed. Then we heard a door slam open. Oh Arceus...

Who came was the same lumberjack dude we met back at Route 4.

"WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE?!" He screamed.

"Oh no! It's the boss!" Paul cried. So I WAS right. There is a boss of all these.

"I just saw your Bidoofs outside causing all sorts of shenanigans," The boss exclaimed. "The gate to Lagoona Lake was flooded over by the water displacement. I had to break down the dam with my Pokémon."

Okay, so at least these workers didn't do it. It's already done.

"We're sorry, boss. We just wanted to take a little break and have some fun." Paul confessed.

"I don't mind you guys taking breaks, but you can't just let the Bidoofs get out of hand like this." The boss replied.

"We won't let it happen again. We promise." Paul said. Sonic and I just nodded.

"No, you won't. I'm sticking around to keep an eye on you guys." The boss stated. Paul groaned because he didn't like that. But still, it's not like he had a choice.

"Thank you very much, sir! We appreciate it." I thanked.

"Sorry for the inconvenience. But it's no problem at all. The name's Josh, in case you were wondering," The lumberjack boss said, "Say... you two seem like tough trainers. Why not come back here after obtaining all 8 Gym Badges?"

"Sounds like a deal!" Sonic said with a smile.

"Alright, guys. Return for now. We're gonna heal up when we get to Lagoona Lake." I explained to my Pokémon. I put them back in their balls, and Sonic did the same thing.

We exit the workhouse, and we see the dam was no longer there, and the flood was gonna. We can now safely cross the ramp.

"Welp, here we go." I said. And we walk to the gate and go inside.

* * *

So this is Lagoona Lake, huh? There's a small ramp that leads to more of the town. We continue walking. On the left, there was a Pokémon daycare. In front of us, to the right a bit, was the Pokémon Center. THANKS ARCEUS. There's a couple houses, and... some kind of laboratory that I am very unfamiliar with.

"Lagoona Lake looks amazing! Let's go check it out!" Sonic offered.

"I call dibs on seeing that laboratory over there." I said, pointing to it. It was like a large igloo that's blue. There was a long pathway that lead to the entrance of it.

"Nice! Let's go check it out!" Sonic cheered. As we were about to walk on the pathway, I heard something.

"Ugh... You really did fail, didn't you? That truly sucks..." It was a voice I didn't want to hear.

"Quick, behind the wall! Kevin's here!" I whispered to Sonic. And we hid behind the wall near the pathway. Sonic peeks for far for a way better look.

"What's Kevin doing?" He asked.

"GET BACK!" I whisper-screamed, pushing Sonic back a bit, "You don't want him to SEE us!"

We peeks to look. Only our eyes were visible. What we saw was truly unbelievable.

Kevin was there, his Torracat and Gabite, which was a Gible back then, were there. Along with two new Pokémon. The first one was Mareanie, a small purple Pokémon with its blue hair looking like a mop, and with many spikes on it as well. The second one was Grumpig, a pink pig Pokémon black ears and some black parts around its waist, and it had a couple black pearls. Two on its head, and one on its stomach.

His Frillish was there too, but... it looked kinda sad?

"Frill?" The Water/Ghost Pokémon whimpered.

"You're too weak. You seemed fine at first... but the battles you go against ain't the best," Kevin explained, "So now... it's time for you to go. We're all here to become the strongest in the world."

"Tor!" Torracat hissed at Frillish.

"Frillish, frill-"

"Just go! Don't come back looking for me!" Kevin snapped, and all his Pokémon, including the new ones, looked angry. Frillish started to cry, and it dives in the lake, swimming away from Kevin as far as the lake can take him.

"Hmph." Kevin scoffed. Sonic and I were furious by that outcome.

"I SWEAR TO ARCEUS, I WANT TO KICK THIS GUY'S A-"

"Such a mean guy, releasing one of his Pokémon like that." Sonic interrupted me.

"So true. Let's just try to ignore this idiot." I exclaimed. And we continued our walk. I wonder what Lagoona Lake has to offer for us.

* * *

 **A/N: I am SOOOOO sorry this took so long. I needed correct time tho ;-;. At least the chapter is here now! I'll try NOT to make y'all wait two months now XD. Liked it? That's fine. Have a great day! :D**


	9. New Members And Relationships

**Aw yeah! It is finally time to introduce the new major character of Brick Bronze :D! I'm here to make sure this story is enjoyable, and it stays that way. The next chapter is coming at you... NOW! ;)**

* * *

Still can't believe Kevin would do such a thing. I understand that he wants to keep "strong" Pokémon, but still. Unless he has an actual reason, like say making Frillish go back to his family, or for a dramatic emergency, that's a different story.

But that? That was just plain STUPID. Now I'm just gonna let it go for now. As much as I am COMPLETELY MAD BY THE OUTCOME... we have to let go of things sometimes.

Wait.

WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE, WHY AM I SAYING THINGS LIKE THI-

* * *

Sonic and I walked inside the laboratory. It was kinda small on the inside. There wasn't a lot here... but the stuff that IS here was pretty interesting.

There were 4 scientists. One of them was a girl with long, yellow hair, and a black headband. There was a male scientist with brown, short hair on the right. And there was another male with a black hat, with his hair unseen. The last one looked like a male, with... bacon hair. He seemed a little busy since he is looking at a projector.

Wait. Never mind, he's bald. He doesn't have bacon hair.

There were a bunch of machines. One of which seemed kind of familiar. And there was also a yellow submarine, and there was a large water hole there. I can't tell if it's deep or not, but considering there is a freaking submarine, I'd say it's deep.

"Oh wow. What is this place?" I said in complete awe.

"Welcome to Lagoona Lake laboratory," The female scientist greeted, "My name is Bethany. Is this your first time here?"

"Actually, yes. This is our first time here." Sonic replied.

"Here we explore and study the bottom of the lake and what's been left behind by nature." Bethany explained. Ooh! That seems interesting. Looks like I was right about the deep hole thing.

"How exactly do you people find out, Bethany?" I asked. My eyes were filled with curiosity. I wanted to try it out.

"Using this submersible, known as the Underwater Mining Vessel, we have sent many people deep below the surface in search of whatever they may find within the lake's trenches." She explained.

"Hell yeah! I want to try that out!" I shouted in excitement.

"So do I! It seems like fun!" Sonic added.

"The UMV is electric, powered by special batteries," Bethany kept on explaining, "You two will need to purchase your own batteries to power the UMV if you wish to go on a dive yourselves."

"With money? Yeah, that's no biggie." I said with a shrug.

"However, we do have enough funding that we can send you two down one for free." Bethany offered.

"Yay! That's so cool!" Sonic cheered.

"I'd say it is as well." I said, lowering my sunglasses a bit so part of my eyes can be seen.

"So... what do we do when we're in the submarine?" Sonic asked Bethany.

"Once below the surface, you may search the walls in the trenches for shiny spots indicating objects," She responded, "Simply press a button inside the sub to begin mining. The UMV is equipped with explosive charges and a drill. The explosives will break away the rock quickly, but the drill is much more safer and precise. The reason I mention this is because with each attempt to break away the rock, the walls will become more fragile."

"Violent stuff for mining. I freaking love it." I exclaimed.

"Eventually, they will cave in and anything you fail to dig up will be lost. After you are done or run out of battery power, you will be returned to the lab." Bethany said.

"That's good to know." I replied.

"You may keep anything you find," Bethany finalized, "Now... which one of you two would like to ride the UMV first?"

Sonic looks at me, and I look at him back.

"I think... I'll go first." Sonic said.

"Wonderul! Hop inside the sub, I will be there shortly. And then we're off." Bethany responded.

"Nifty. Take care of my egg for me please. Promise it I will be back." Sonic told me.

"Anything for a great friend!" I replied enthusiastically. Sonic smiles and nods. He approaches the sub and goes inside it.

"Unfortunately, you'll have to wait. The UMV can only hold two people at a time." Bethany said, a bit of sadness in her tone.

"Don't worry about it! I got all the time in the world." I said, trying not to make her feel bad. Bethany just nods. She goes inside the UMV. It was now lowering. I looked at it until I cannot see it at all.

I hold onto Sonic's egg. At least it's protected inside the container. I walk to one of the scientists. The one looking at a screen on the complex machines.

"Lagoona Lake was formed millions of years ago by a meteor," He told me, "As a result, there are lots of mysterious stones and fossils beneath the lake in its trenches. We've even been able to revive some of the fossils that have been found with a machine we have here in the lab!"

So THAT'S why it looked so familiar! I really hope I find a fossil when it's my turn. I then face the scientist who was by that said machine.

"So this thing restores fossils?" I asked.

"If you happen to find a fossil in the lake, you can bring it to me and I will revive it with this machine." The scientist replied. I nod. Simple as that.

"And what do you have to say?" I asked the short haired scientist.

"I've only been below the surface of the lake once," He responded, "Usually, I run tests from here in the lab on what others find deep below. I've even witnessed people finding stones that cause certain Pokémon to evolve."

"I've studied evolutionary stones in school!" I suddenly yelled.

"It's astounding! Imagine everything that can be discovered beneath this ancient lake!" Short haired scientist exclaimed.

"Definitely! I am SO gonna check it out." I said. I sit down and lean against a wall. I put the egg next to me, making sure no one tries to steal it.

I hear the door open again. It's Jake.

"Oh, Nifty! I wasn't expecting to see ya here!" He said in surprise.

"Yeah. I wanted to see what this place is like." I said.

"Where did you get that egg?" Jake asked, pointing to it.

"First of all, it's Sonic's egg. Not mine," I replied, "And to answer your question... an old lady wanted us to take care of it since she's very busy. The Pokémon that might hatch... seems a bit familiar though."

"Well, that's cool! I'm glad we're all here to do a good deed!" Jake said excitedly.

"If you're gonna ask me what I was doing, we're gonna dive in this UMV thing to search for stones, shards, or even fossils," I explained, "Yes indeed. The UMV only holds 2 people, and Sonic's in it right now. I'm waiting until he is done."

"Can I wait with you?" Jake insisted.

"Knock yourself out." I responded. And Jake sat next to me, on the other side from the egg.

* * *

A few minutes later...*

The yellow submarine comes back up. Bethany and Sonic exit it.

"So, how'd it go? Find anything good?" I asked.

"Well, I got some shards and plates that are used for powering up moves," Sonic explained, "Unfortunately, I couldn't find any fossils. I did get close to finding a couple, but the wall collapsed. I also found this."

Sonic showed me some kind of white stone. It felt cold when I touched it.

"Wow, an Ice Stone! You know, that's a good find right here." I complimented.

"Let's see what you find now, Nifty." Sonic said with a smile.

"Quite." I replied. I walk over to Bethany.

"Take me to the bottom of the lake. I'm here to find some stuff."

"As you wish." Bethany responded. She went inside the UMV, and I followed her in soon after.

It looks much bigger on the inside then on the outside. There were gray walls, and on the front, were a bunch of complex machines that I don't know crap about.

"Okay, I'll do the controls. You do the digging when you find shiny spots." Bethany explained.

"Got it. Let's do this!" I said as I pumped my fist. Bethany grabs the steering controls, and in a while, we'll reach it.

* * *

Lagoona Trenches. The bottom looks amazing. I heard people tell me that being underwater in the ocean can be beautiful. Well, at least if no violent Pokémon try to attack.

There are lots of walls. I just looked around, amazed by the sight. What else could you possibly expect from someone who has never been to the bottom of the ocean before?

Something caught my eye. There was a shiny spot.

"Stop! Let's check that out." I exclaimed, poring to the spot.

"Okay." Bethany said. She turned over to the spot. She pressed a button, and now the sub pulled out two mechanical hands. One held a drill, and one held the explosives. There was even a 2 buttons with a screen.

"All you have to do is touch the spot you want to break," Bethany explained, "But make sure you press either the button for the explosives or the drill. Things can change majorly of you don't."

I simply nodded. I pressed the button to explode these walls. I pushed it on a couple spots. Then I found a few things. I pressed the button to use the drill, and began making it drill the rocks. I did that in a couple different spots. Eventually, some items fall down onto the ground. After hitting the wall some more...

 _CRUMBLE..._

 _CRASH!_

The wall collapsed.

"Now press that button to pick up the items." Bethany reminded. I press it, and another hand came out, and it grabbed the items and put them inside. I placed them on my hands.

A Red Shard, a Max Revive and a Heart Scale.

"Ooh. Not bad." I said to myself.

"Let's move on, shall we?" Bethany asked me. I gave a smirk, telling her yes we should move on.

A few minutes later, I managed to find some good items at least. I was in one more right now before the battery depleted and we have to go.

I started with the explosives like before. All I was finding was rocks. Dang it. I kept on going, and then I found something that looked great. I drilled it up. I couldn't tell what it was, but it seemed good.

I drilled some more, and I found a gray stone. I got it out before the wall collapsed on us.

The process goes, and the items are on my hand.

"A Moon Stone! Good find, Nifty!" Bethany complimented.

"Ooh yeah. And this thing?" I asked her.

"Oh my. It's... It's a Jaw Fossil." She said, shocked by my find.

"A fossil... AWESOME!" I screamed. I heard rapid beeping a second later.

"The battery energy is gone. We're gonna go to the surface now." Bethany said. And the sub was going back up.

* * *

We're back in the laboratory. I stepped down to be on the ground. I looked, and I saw Sonic and Jake having a nice conversation.

Sonic noticed me, and he smiles.

"Did you find anything great?" He asked.

"Well, I did find..." I reached over and pulled out the Jaw Fossil. "This."

Both of them got surprised.

"What is that?" Jake asked.

"It's a fossil. And I'm gonna revive it." I replied. I walk to the scientist by the machine.

"Oh, I see you have a fossil! Do you want me to revive it for you?" He asked.

"Yes." I said. I give him the fossil. The scientist puts it inside the machine, and it closes. It goes through some kind of process. Smoke was clouding it, so I couldn't see what it's becoming.

"What's going on, Nifty?" Sonic asked as he and Jake walked to me.

"This fossil I found is turning into a Pokémon." I replied. Soon, the glass container opened as the smoke was clearing up. I saw a shadow of a small looking Pokémon. Soon it jumped.

"TY!" It snarled as it jumped to me. I couldn't dodge in time, and soon I was pinned down. I took a closer look. It was a brown, small dinosaur Pokémon. Orange, small tips on its head, and some white fur around its neck. It even has a tiny tail!

It may be small, but its claws pack a punch! It looked angry at me for a second, and I didn't know why. Then it just laughed, and it licked my face.

"Okay, okay, stop. Stop." I said gently, chuckling a bit as I pushed it off my chest.

"Would you look at that! Your Jaw Fossil turned into a Tyrunt!" The scientist said happily.

"Nice! Another new member on my team!" I shouted.

"Yay! Great job, Nifty!" Sonic cheered with me.

"I can't wait to see it in battle!" Jake added.

"Well, in order for it to truly shine... I have to train it." I said.

"Runt!" Tyrunt snarled again. This thing looks a bit ferocious. This would be perfect. Team Eclipse is SO dead.

"Come with me, Tyrunt." I insisted.

* * *

Another addition to Lagoona Lake was that there was a hover board park. It was empty right now, so this was a perfect time.

"Everyone, come on out!" I yelled as I threw all my Poke Balls up in the air. Soon, all of the Pokémon I had were there. Jake and Sonic seemed a bit interested.

"Tyrunt, I want you to meet my Pokémon. You would be great friends with them, I just know it." I said, giving the small dino a gentle smile. It walked up to each of my Pokémon. They all gave a friendly greeting. No rudeness at all! Awesome.

"Now. You might be weak now, but... if we all work together, we'll be strong." I continued.

"Ty ty!" Tyrunt shouted.

"There's no doubt the Pokémon we have on our team are the strongest in battle." I repeated Candela's well known quote. I take out my Pokédex to study its moves. Tackle, Tail Whip, Roar and Stomp. Okay. That's an okay moveset right now for a fossil.

"Now let's get training!" I exclaimed.

"I want to participate as well!" Sonic shouted.

"So do I!" Jake but in.

"Of course you can! We're in this together!" I cheered. Obviously, I wouldn't start with battle stuff. So... I started with this.

"You see that ramp right there? It goes up," I explained to all of my Pokémon, "Your main goal is to run up it, and then at the right time, jump. Land on the platform when you jump, and you win! You are allowed to use moves in case of tough situations. Got it?"

They all give a yell in response.

"Now then... show me what y'all got! Frogadier, you're up first." I said. Frogadier charges up a Quick Attack. He runs up the ramp, and he jumps like a true ninja.

"Charmeleon! Now it's your turn!"

My Fire starter runs the ramp, and jumps normally. It was pretty high as well. Another successful victory.

"Nidorino!"

Again, up the ramp. Even on all fours, Nidorino manages to make it. He gives a sly smile as a way of knowing he has done it.

"Rhyhorn!"

As Rhyhorn was running, it was pretty slow. His jump was decent, but...

As he kept on going, he fell to the ground. Fortunately, he landed on his legs.

"Don't worry, Rhyhorn. I'm sure you'll get it next time." I apologized. Rhyhorn just growls softly and turns away. He's pretty frustrated by it. It's no worry though.

"Okay Tyrunt. You got this. I believe in you." I said. Tyrunt looks at the ramp and takes a deep breath. He looks at my other Pokémon who were still standing on the platform.

Another run. Tyrunt reaches the ledge, and jumps. It looks like he was a bit too early since it doesn't look like he'll make it. Then...

Tyrunt grabs the edge of the platform with his jaws. But it struggled to get up.

"Dier!" Frogadier offers his hand. Tyrunt used his tiny hands to grab on, and he made it.

"Wow! Nice team effort, guys!" I cheered. Now remember when I said I wouldn't start with battling? Well, I lied. Kinda. We'll start with gentle approaches.

* * *

Sonic took out all of his Pokémon so hey can join in on the fun as well. The battling was just gonna be simple. Not too harsh attacks, and being able to learn new moves.

I already assigned the teams for each of these... *ahem*... small battles. Frogadier and Charmeleon. Nidorino and Lycanroc. Quilladin and Brionne.

And Rhyhorn will be facing against Tyrunt.

"Now remember everyone... even you, Sonic's Pokémon," I said, "This isn't a real competitive battle. This is a small one used for learning new moves and getting stronger. So don't try to be too harsh on each other. Got it?"

They all shout as a response.

"Well then... let's see what you got!" I screamed. And they began their battle. It seemed nice so far. Not bad at all.

Some of them even taunted each other sometimes. LOL. That's pretty funny though.

Coming back to the scene of my newest Pokémon... Rhyhorn prepares a Horn Attack. Tyrunt counters by using Stomp.

Attacks flash forward continuously. Rhyhorn uses Stomp as well. And then...

Tyrunt began to absorb the attack. He was outlined in all red. Ooh, a new move! Rhyhorn then kept on attacking, hoping to get something. After the last straw...

Tyrunt unleashes all of that energy. It did a lot, but not too much.

"Oh yeah. NOW we're getting somewhere." I said with a smirk.

* * *

It took at least an hour to get lots of this training done. Sometimes we even took breaks. This even gave me some time to draw. Yes, you heard that right. I draw for a living. I don't make too complicated stuff, but it would still be pretty good.

I was making some logos for a group of all my friends. That includes Sonic and Jake. They're all gonna join this nice group once I tell them. But now was not the time. But I do have a suggestion for a title. And that title will be...

"Brick Bronze".

As I was finishing the sketches of these logos, I closed my notebook and Sonic walked up to me.

"All of our Pokémon are getting stronger! Even your Tyrunt is, despite being restored from a fossil an hour ago!" Sonic exclaimed.

"It was from prehistoric land long ago," I said, "So I can tell that its evolution was probably king of that old land."

"We gotta try battles sometime. I mean, we all did great in our adventure so far!" Sonic responded.

"We sure did." I said. I put the notebook in my bag, and I stand up.

"Everyone ready? The new city awaits." I asked all of my Pokémon, along with Sonic's as well.

"Return for now, everyone. We'll use that new strength for later." Sonic added. And he put all his Pokémon back in their balls, and I did the same thing.

"I'm ready to go too, you guys!" Jake but in.

"Same dude." I said with a chuckle. And we kept on walking, the gate was to the left of the huge lake that was there.

* * *

We exit the gate, and we're here at the next place: Route 8.

"Huh. More grass. Convenient." I said sarcastically.

"Looks like we finally caught up to each other, huh?" Jake asked.

"We sure did. Lagoona Lake was a good spot for all of us to meet up at." Sonic replied.

"You two... took on Team Eclipse all by yourselves. That was pretty brave of you two." Jake complimented. Sonic smiled and nodded, but I gave him suspicious look.

"Nifty? Why are you looking at me like that?" Jake asked.

"Jake... why the hell were you not with us back at the volcano? You said you'd be there!" I exclaimed.

"I've got to be honest, that whole time... I was just waiting at the Gym for Sebastian to get back so I could be the first person to get the Brimstone Badge. I was honestly too scared to go challenge Team Eclipse." Jake confessed. I stared at him for a few seconds with a blunt face.

I unexpectedly raised by hand up a bit at fast speed, and Jake flinched as if I was about to hit him.

But instead, I merely lowered it gently and rubbed Jake's shoulder.

"That was not cool at all, Jake." I said angrily.

"I know, I know. I'm really sorry." Jake apologized. I calmed down and smiled.

"But you know... we just started with fighting them from the beginning," I said, "It's gonna take a while before we could truly shine and stand up against them. Plus, they kidnapped not only MY parents, but Sonic's as well."

"And with Kevin getting in our way as well... especially for the pain he tried to cause... we need to let go of the past, and make way for our future." Sonic added.

"Yeah, you two are right," Jake said, "Plus, you two have proven to me that we really are capable of doing great things with the help of our Pokémon."

"Without them, where would even be today? We have grown since the short time we have been on this adventure." I replied.

"Nifty... Sonic... I really admire you two a lot. For your strength and your determination." Jake complimented.

"Thanks, Jake! I appreciate that!" Sonic said bashfully.

"Why do you say that exactly, dude?" I asked Jake.

"The way you two train your Pokémon... like that time earlier at the hover board park... you two should have your parents back in no time! I just know you will." Jake replied.

"Of course we will! There's nothing that can get in our way!" Sonic exclaimed.

"I know!" Jake yelled suddenly, "You two can _show_ me how you train your Pokémon the REAL way! Let's tackle the trainers on this route together!"

"Let's do it!" Sonic cheered.

"Nifty, you take the lead. I've got a ton of Potions and stuff. If your Pokémon get hurt in battle, I'll heal them afterwards." Jake explained. I simply nodded.

"Just one more thing, Jake..." I said quietly. I walk to him and he backs away like he's getting scared. Until I backed him up into a wall, where he was cornered.

"If you betray us like that again... I will beat the crap out of you." I threatened.

"I, uh..." Jake stammered. I kept the angry look on my face. It was like that for a few more seconds before I burst out laughing.

"Relax, dude! I'm just messing with ya! I have no ill intention to do that to a friend!" I chuckled.

"Heh heh... you always like to threaten people, don't you?" Jake said nervously.

"Hey, I'm that kind of person," I replied, "Anyone threatens me, I'll threaten 'em back. I just do love to be playful. Just remember if I do that, it's not serious. I do it because I want the victim to feel like I will, but actually won't."

"I understand." Jake said.

"Now let's go. The next city is there." I offered. I pulled out a bottle of water, which was full since I got it earlier. I opened the cap and drank a bit.

"You thirsty, Nifty?" Sonic asked.

"What can I say? Being in this adventure and all makes a guy thirsty. Plus, it's a recommended tip to stay hydrated." I responded.

"Crap, I didn't purchase any." Jake said solemnly.

"Shame. I may offer to share, but... I might get sick later on with both of your... saliva." I said, wincing a bit.

"That's fine. There's water later on when we get to our destination." Sonic suggested. And with all of that talking, we now walk along the route. It wasn't too long before we saw the first trainer in this Route. He seemed important since he has a brown suit. I don't know if he's in the military or not...

"Jake. You and I. We battle him." I told my friend.

"Definitely!" Jake exclaimed excitedly. The man noticed us.

"Oh, there are two of you?" He asked.

"Three. My other friend is here as well." I replied. The guy gives us a glare, kind of surprised as well. Just a little bit, though.

"That sure is unexpected. I guess we'll have a double battle then." He compliments.

"Partner battles! Yay!" Jake screams.

"If you aren't familiar with double battles, then you are about to be." The man warned.

"Oh, don't worry. I KNOW." I said.

"Trust me, it's a lot of fun!"

"That depends on how it goes."

"Seriously?"

"By both heaven and hell." I smirked.

* * *

I'm partnering up with Jake. I don't even know what that guy was talking about, I did a partner battle before. But that's simply because Sonic needed to join in on this situation to stop Team Eclipse.

He's a great partner, obviously. Now let's see if Jake is ready for combos and crap.

"Now to combine feathers together... go, my partners!"

Our opponent sent out two Flying types: a Fletchinder and a Pidgeotto. Oh, he's a bird keeper! I get it now!

"Well, if it's Flying types I'm dealing with, then... go Tyrunt!" I shouted, and sent out my fossil Pokémon. The small dinosaur seemed ready for battle.

"And now to show you mine." Jake said, and he sent out his first Pokémon. It's Vaporeon. It seemed like his Eevee has evolved.

"Your Eevee evolved, huh?" I asked.

"It sure did! Our bond was getting really strong together, I almost didn't notice it!" Jake responded.

"Pidgeotto, use Gust! And Fletchinder, Quick Attack!"

We didn't get interrupted, but we see those attacks coming at us.

"Do you remember the ramp training, Tyrunt? If you do... then dodge the attack!" I demanded. Tyrunt got a bit surprised, but then he remembered what I was talking about.

At first, he runs towards them. But then he just gets a head start and jumps.

"Great job! Now use Ancient Power!" I continued. Tyrunt summons a bunch of mystical rocks, and launches them. The attack was fast, so the birds had no way of dodging. Fletchinder ended up fainting, but Pidgeotto still stands.

"Wow! That was awesome, Nifty!" Jake complimented.

"I know, right? It was an awesome time indeed." I responded.

"Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack!" The bird keeper shouted.

"You wanna do this one, Jake?" I insisted.

"You bet! Vaporeon, use Aurora Beam!" Jake yelled. Vaporeon releases a rainbow ring beam from its mouth and unleashes it at the opponent. That was enough to block the attack and cut right through, defeating Pidgeotto.

"Well I still have one more! Staravia, go!" Our opponent exclaimed, and he sent out his last Pokémon. The bird's Intimidate ability made our Pokémon's Attack lower. That's not gonna stop us anytime soon!

"Jake. Let's try a combo attack." I said.

"What do you mean by that?" Jake asked. I began to whisper a plan in his ear. Jake finally understood me after a bit of thinking.

"Let's do it." Jake whispered back.

"Staravia, use Wing Attack!"

Staravia's wings turn white, and begins to charge forwards.

"Vaporeon, Aurora Beam one more time!" Jake shouted. Vaporeon does that same attack as before.

"Tyrunt, use Ancient Power and mix the two of them!" I screamed. The ancient rocks went inside the Aurora Beam. Both are launched. Staravia began to fly away from the attack. But Vaporeon adjusted the turning a bit, and the attacks hit the bird. Another KO. Perfect.

"Wow, looks like you've gotten he hang of it." Bird keeper complimented.

"Indeed we have. Even with the combo attacks." I replied.

"I've never done a combo before! That was AMAZING!" Jake yelled.

* * *

"Excellent battling! Here, allow me to heal our Pokémon." Jake insisted. He took out a couple Potions, and he sprayed them on Tyrunt and Vaporeon. After all, even though they didn't get hurt, they still needed a healing.

"How did you get enough money to buy all of those Potions?" I asked.

"It's a secret." Jake said with a teasing smile.

 _"This world is so weird..."_ I thought. We kept walking along the grass as we felt the cool breeze from the wind.

"So, guys. Tell me about Kevin." Jake said.

"He's an idiot that cares about strong Pokémon. Mess with him, he'll try and hurt your feelings." I exclaimed suddenly.

"I guess we should tell you about Kevin later, Jake." Sonic suggested. Jake nods, as he doesn't want to keep a personal encounter for too long.

Someone begins to see us. It was a girl with blonde hair and a pink striped outfit.

"Oh, hello! You trainers look eager for a battle. Lucky for you, my Pokémon are in prime condition." She greeted.

"Hey, Sonic! Wanna battle together?" Jake asked my other friend.

"Sure." Sonic replied.

* * *

Once again, I took Sonic's egg so it doesn't get hurt during the battle. It's good to keep these things safe.

By the time I sit down and see who's the Pokémon that will be in this battle, the girl's first two were Ivysaur and Gloom.

"Vaporeon, let's go!" Jake yelled. It's not the best considering type advantage, but since it at least knows an Ice type move, I think he's good.

"Quilladin! Let's battle, don't let me down!" Sonic shouted. And the Grass starter is here. This'll turn out well. If they just believe, they'll be good.

"Quilladin, use Pin Missile!" Sonic commanded. Quilladin unleashes some green missiles from the spikes on his head. The move does a good amount of damage. But since both Ivysaur and Gloom are Grass AND Poison types, it did neutral damage instead of being super effective. The girl seemed a little upset, but she was still fine.

"Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf!" She yelled. Ivysaur yells loudly, and a bunch of sharpnleaves are headed for the both of them.

"Vaporeon, Water Pulse!" Jake shouted. The leaves were now stuck in the water orb. When it broke, the leaves just fell.

"Wow! Nice strategy you got there!" I complimented.

"Thanks so much, Nifty!" Jake said with a smile. We can just breeze through this easily. With that amount of daydreaming out of the way, I'll continue seeing this battle. The girl began to give a command.

"Gloom, use Stun Spore!"

"Quilladin, quick! Block it by using Rollout!" Sonic commanded. And with Quilladin in his huge ball form, he goes right to the Stun Spore and makes it all go away.

"Nice one, Sonic!" Jake compliments.

"I know well about battling." Sonic said back.

"Ivysaur, Take Down on Vaporeon!" Their oppponent yelled.

"Vaporeon, Sand Attack!" Jake shouted. Ivysaur met with a dust of sand right at its eyes.

Couldn't counter that now, can you?

"Now that Ivysaur is distracted... Quilladin, use Needle Arm!" Sonic exclaimed. When Ivysaur got the rest of the sand off, it then got shoved by that spiky arm. It wasn't a KO just yet. But it's close.

"And now finish with Quick Attack!" Jake blurted out. And once that fast move lands, it was enough to take Ivysaur down. I mumbled a "yes" to myself, and felt glad this was what happened.

I checked on my Pokédex, and this girl has a total of 4 Pokémon. Dang. She returned Ivysaur to its ball, and sent out her next Pokémon.

"Go Deerling!"

So, it's all gonna be Grass types I guess? Eh. But Deerling has different forms depending on the season. And they don't interfere with stats at all.

"Start with Leech Seed!" The blonde haired girl yelled. And soon, Vaporeon and Quilladin were "seeded". That's gonna be rough. I mean, they're covered in small, tight vines. How else is this supposed to turn out?

"Great job! Now Gloom, use Sleep Powder!" The opponent laughed. Instead of yellow particles like with Stun Spore, this time they were green. The two had NO way of being able to dodge this if they were covered in vines. They were asleep now.

"Return!" Sonic and Jake shouted in unison. It worked somehow. Just thought the vines might've interfered with that.

"Remember, guys! Stats in battles do change stuff, so just be aware!" I called out.

"Brionne, go!" Sonic shouted as he sent out another Pokémon.

"You too, Nidorino!" Jake added as he sent out his next Pokémon. As much as Id like to disagree with Sonic's choice, it still seemed good since Brionne has an Ice type move.

Speaking of which...

"Brionne, use Icy Wind!" Sonic commanded. The frosty wind goes right to the opponents, it's super effective. As it turns out, both Gloom AND Deerling fainted. Wow. For one move, it sure packs a punch.

"How was that possible?!" The female screamed.

"It's skills, you know." Sonic said with a shrug. The girl growls under her breath, and then pulls out another Poke Ball.

"It's all you, Venonat!"

Ok, so its NOT all Grass types. One Bug type. That's fine, but still kinda mediocre.

"Nidorino, use Fury Attack!" Jake yelled. Nidorino charges his attack, and Venonat prepares for a hit.

"Use Confusion!" I heard the girl yell. Venonat's eyes glow a bright blue, and it lifts Nidorino high into the air.

"Brionne! End that Confusion with Water Pulse!" Sonic exclaimed. Brionne shoots out a giant blue water orb, and then throws it right at Venonat, ending the Confusion.

"Jake! Now is your chance! End it once and for all!" Sonic yelled.

"Got it! Nidorino, use Double Kick!" Jake shouted. And those couple kicks were (surprisingly) enough to take Venonat down.

"Even in prime condition, my Pokémon aren't strong enough." The female said, sighing afterwards.

"You tried at least. That's all that matters." Sonic said with a smile.

* * *

Jake healed both his and Sonic's Pokémon. We were still walking along this path. Some tall grass, but no one jumps out and attacks us.

"What do you guys want to do when we get to the next city?" Jake asked.

"Not too sure. We'll find out later on." I replied. Sooner or later, someone ended up finding us.

"Some Pokémon work really great in pairs." A girl with long blond hair, glasses, and a red school outfit was saying to us all.

"How about we test that theory?" I insisted.

* * *

Once again, I am partnering up with Jake. This school girl has 4 Pokémon. Alrighty then.

"Show them your partner power!" She yelled as she sent out her first two Pokémon. They were Plusle and Minun. Two small Electric types. Welp, I already know who I am going for.

"Rhyhorn! It's showtime!" I shouted, and then sent out my first Pokémon. And like the last times, Jake sends out Vaporeon.

"Plusle and Minun... make a combo Electro Ball!" Our opponent yelled. Their tails raised up a bit, and their Electro Ball was bigger than usual. Once released, Vaporeon screamed and ran away. Rhyhorn ran in front and absorbed the attack since he's a Ground type.

"Okay, Jake, here's the plan. Make sure Vaporeon is high on the air, else he will get hit by the attack. Just trust me on this." I whispered frantically.

"Ok, Nifty." Jake replied.

"Rhyhorn, use Bulldoze!" I shouted. Rhyhorn shook the ground.

"Vaporeon, jump!" Jake screamed. The water Eeveelution did so. Plusle and Minun ended up tripping due to the shaken ground, and they fainted in one hit.

"Well then... go, Purugly and Herdier!" The schoolgirl shouted, sending out her last two Pokémon.

I would switch to Nidorino, but I feel like I'll be fine.

"Herdier, use Take Down on Rhyhorn!"

Boy, that sure did get my attention.

"Jump up, and then use Stomp!" I demanded. Rhyhorn does so, and the crushing weight of his small feet and body weight crushed Herdier, ending his attack.

"Purugly, Fury Swipes on Vaporeon!"

It kinda reminded me of that similar situation back then with Team Valor and Team Rocket.

"Vaporeon, use Sand Attack!" Jake yelled. Vaporeon threw some sand, stinging Purugly's eyes.

"Great job, now use Aurora Beam!" Jake continued. The rainbow ring beam easily hit the huge cat.

"Now I should go ahead and finish it..." I thought.

"Have a plan, Nifty?" Jake asked me.

"Same as last time." I responded. I pointed at the opposing Pokémon.

"Bulldoze!" I screamed. The ground shook again, a bit more harder than usual. Vaporeon once again takes the higher ground. Herdier and Purugly took the hits. Once again, it's another OHKO.

"I need to learn a new strategy." The schoolgirl said awkwardly.

"Try more combo attacks. That should give ya a head start." I suggested.

* * *

For some gosh darn reason, Jake is really good at healing Pokémon. Even status conditions once in a while!

"We are SO GREAT at battling! It's like we were born to do this!" Jake cheered.

"We make a great team. It's like we can make ourselves a small group." I said while winking a couple times and showing a snarky smirk.

"And Kevin cannot even come to ruin it." Sonic added while smiling as well.

"I wonder how many more trainers await us here." Jake wondered.

"We might be almost done. We're getting there." I said.

Soon, a guy with a yellow shirt came to us. Just our luck...

"Two against one? I can already tell this is gonna be a rough battle." He groaned.

"Go ahead, Sonic. Get him. I'll watch your egg." I insisted.

"Okay, Nifty." Sonic replied.

"Let's give it a go anyway." The yellow shirt guy said with a shrug.

* * *

Back in the sidelines. The egg looks like it's about to hatch! Jake sends out Vaporeon, and the schoolboy sends out Numel and Combusken. Great, I'm getting some Mt. Igneus vibes...

"Well then... Brionne, here we go!" And Sonic sent out his Water type starter. This oughta be easy. Two Water types against two Fire types. Yeah. Like this guy said, it's gonna be a rough battle for him.

"Combusken, use Peck! And Numel, use Lava Plume!" The schoolboy shouted. Both of thee guys start their attacks.

"Quick, dodge it!" Sonic and Jake screamed. Theirs do so.

"Jake! Let's do a combo Water Pulse! We'll get through this faster!" Sonic suggested.

"Got it! Vaporeon, use Water Pulse, and then combine it with Brionne's as well!" Jake explained. Both Brionne and Vaporeon make a Water Pulse. It was much bigger. It was big enough to send both Numel and Combusken into it. It was another KO.

Knew it would be fast. Then Sonic put Brionne back in her ball.

"Okay, Lycanroc... let's end it!" Sonic exclaimed, and the orange wolf was out, looking ferocious as usual.

"Heatmor and Torkoal. Make it better!" Their opponent yelled. Yep. This is DEFINITELY gonna be fast.

"Torkoal, use Smokescreen!"

Torkoal sent out a black cloud of smoke. Vaporeon and Lycanroc couldn't see. I think they're still good though.

"And now use Fire Spin!"

Torkoal got in his shell and spun around rapidly, fire surrounding it soon later.

"Vaporeon, quick! Use Water Pulse!" Jake exclaimed in worry. Fortunately, Torkoal got caught in the orb.

"Heatmor, use Fury Swipes on Lycanroc!"

Even though it was tough to see, I could feel Lycanroc is smirking.

"Accelerock." Sonic said. Lycanroc goes right through the Smokescreen, making it disintegrate. Heatmor got tackled by the immense power of Accelerock. I swear to Arceus! Sonic, your Lycanroc is INCREDIBLY powerful!

And now the other Fire types are down. Easy as pie.

"I can't say I was surprised I lost, but I didn't exactly try either." The schoolboy admitted. How the HELL can I count that as NOT trying? Ugh, forget it.

"Well, a battle is a battle." Sonic said with an innocent smile.

* * *

Moving on. After another healing situation, we walk along the grass.

"Are you sure Kevin is a really mean guy?" Jake asked.

"Obviously. He doesn't give a crap." I exclaimed.

"We must be almost there. We'll have some time to stop there." Sonic said. We see a lumberjack as we kept walking. Is he one that works for Josh, or is he a free one? I dunno, but I don't care.

"It's my job to cut down wood and take it back to the mill on Route 7. I guess I have to stop and have a battle."

So he DOES work for him. Do all lumberjacks really work for Josh? I dunno... but once again, I don't freaking care.

* * *

Now it's my turn again. As I'd expect, the lumberjack sent out two Bibarels. Jake has Vaporeon. So...

"Go Frogadier!" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon.

"Vaporeon, start off with Quick Attack!" Jake shouted.

"You too, Frogadier! Gang up on one of them!" I added. One of the Bibarel saw the fast moving Pokémon, and he attempted to run away. But Frogadier got him first, then Vaporeon got him second. Since Frogadier was slightly faster.

That one was already done for.

"Eek! Okay... go, Furfrou!" Lumberjack guy shouted. Another Normal type. Kay.

"Frogadier, use Water Pulse!" I yelled. It went for Furfrou. The attack didn't do a KO, but it DID get Furfrou confused. Perfect.

"Bibarel, use Rollout!"

Bibarel rolls at fast speed.

"Vaporeon, Aurora Beam!" Jake yelled. Vaporeon interrupts the attack with that rainbow beam. Bibarel ended up tripping.

"And now... use Quick Attack!" Jake added. And that was enough to take Bibarel down.

"Frogadier, use Round." I said bluntly. Frogadier screeches a loud note, and Furfrou screamed. It fainted a couple seconds later.

"Well then... all I have left is you, Herdier!"

And the lumberjack's last Pokémon is another Normal type.

I returned Frogadier. And Nidorino was my next one I sent out.

"Double Kick!" I commanded. Nidorino runs up to Herdier.

"Quick! Block 'em with Crunch!"

Uh oh! That might've been a bad idea.

"Vaporeon, Sand Attack!" Jake yelled. And Herdier couldn't see after being hit with sand. Nidorino used his attack now. Another KO. Wow, we are on a roll!

"Well, break's over." The lumberjack said with a sigh.

"Make it better for us, so keep working." I responded.

* * *

Jake- heals again. We- keep walking. I cant believe everythibg is going so smoothly right now! We saw a gray path as we were walking. We decided to take a small detour and check it out.

There was a brown gateway, so this is definitely a place. On our right, we saw a garden with some trees we can cut down. And on the left we see a small, but wide house.

"Should we check inside the house?" Sonic asked.

"Why the heck not?" I said with a shrug.

Inside the house was usual living room furniture. There was a fireplace, and a small desk where a guy was on the other side.

"What is this house used for?" I asked the man.

"During the holidays, we enjoy selling Hot Chocolate here." He replied. Wow, that's convienient. It's ACTUALLY nearing Christmas.

"I really do enjoy the holiday season..." The man mumbled.

"So do we." Sonic responded.

"Happy holidays, sir. We might come back here sometime." I said with a wave, then we left the house. I honestly wasn't in the mood for Hot Chocolate.

We exited the small gateway place, and kept on with our adventure. I saw a small tree there with a TM just laying there. I send out Charmeleon and tell him to cut the tree. He does, and I grab the TM afterwards.

There was one more trainer before we can go to the next city. It was Sonic's turn.

We face the guy who was by us. He's a black belt.

"Bow to your sensei!" He bellowed.

"Show us your skills then!" Sonic insisted.

* * *

That was a nice small roast though, Sonic. Jake has Vaporeon once again. Nice choice. The black belt sent out Hitmonchan and Machoke.

"Go Quilladin!" Sonic yelled. The Grass starter is out!

"Now start with Needle Arm! Go for anyone of them!"

Quilladin decided to go for Machoke. Machoke tried to block it using his strong muscles, but since Quilladin's arm is very spiky, that shows otherwise.

"Machoke, use Low Sweep!" The martial arts guy exclaimed. Machoke does a sweep kick, and Quilladin got hit. But it wasn't enough to take him down.

"Hitmonchan, use Feint Attack!"

"Vaporeon! Water Pulse!" Jake yelled. He made Hitmonchan get his attack interrupted, with a bit of confusion afterwards. Nice.

"Quilladin, now use Pin Missile!" Sonic shouted. The missiles ended up going for both of them. Machoke was down, but Hitmonchan still stands.

"Ha! I still have another!" The black belt yelled, and he sends out another Machoke. Wow, dude. Just freaking wow.

"I suggest another gang up." Jake whispered. Sonic nodded.

"Machoke, Seismic Toss!"

Machoke grabbed Quilladin and they went high I to the air to the point where I couldn't even see them.

"QUILLADIN! Rollout!" Sonic called out, putting his hands in a circle and bear his mouth so the sound can travel faster. All I saw was Machoke falling from above. Looks like it worked.

"Now Vaporeon, use Quick Attack!" Jake shouted. Before Machoke can fall, it was shoved by Vaporeon. An easy hit.

"Hitmonchan, use-"

Before Hitmonchan awaited the karate guy's command, the Pokémon hit himself, fainting.

"Grr... Monferno! Let them know their place!"

Another Fire starter? Nice.

"Use Flame Wheel!" The black belt yelled. He started the attack.

"Quilladin, counter it with Rollout!" Sonic demanded. Both attacks collide soon after. When they were done, they backed off a little bit.

"Vaporeon, Water Pulse!"

It was Jake's yell. Monferno was trapped. A OHKO since type advantage. Wow. That went better than I expected.

"Aw nuts. You beat me..." The black belt confessed.

"We did. But it was still good." Sonic complimented.

* * *

After some more walking, we have finally reached the gate.

We stop for a second to take a breather.

"Hey, Nifty. Sonic. That was pretty fun." Jake said.

"It sure was. No one is a match for us." I responded.

"I learned a lot from how you two battle." Jake complimented.

"Thanks, Jake. That means a lot." Sonic said.

"I'm so excited to use what I've learned now!" Jake cheered.

"Of course you are." I said with a smile while rolling my eyes playfully.

"There's a gym ahead in the next city. I can use the skill you two taught me there and earn another Gym Badge!" Jake explained.

"This will show Team Eclipse we're more powerful than we thought we would be." I said with a smirk.

"I'll see you there, Nifty. And Sonic." Jake said with a wave, and the moves on. Sonic and I followed right behind.

* * *

The way to the next city wasn't too long. Here we are: Rosecove City.

What we saw first was something NONE of us even expected.

It was a Team Eclipse Grunt.

"Hey, Nifty. And Sonic. I ran into this guy when I came out of the gate. He's one of those Team Eclipse hooligans." Jake explained.

"Oh geez..." I groaned. I wasn't mad at Jake at all. I was mad at Team Eclipse for ruining our first place experience.

"Who you callin' hooligan?!" The Grunt yelled.

"Most considerably you and all your friends and everyone you love. And those who your friends love." I replied.

"Team Eclipse is here on official business." The Grunt continued.

"What kind of business?" Sonic asked.

"Not that I would tell you. I can't be letting any of you past this point."

"Ugh. I'm just gonna ignore you and pretend you are stupid." I exclaimed.

"You all need to turn around and go back." Eclipse Grunt commanded.

"Yeah, no." I said.

"Agreed. We're staying." Sonic added.

"Why? What are you crooks up to this time?" Jake asked the Grunt.

"That's none of your business." He replied.

"Knowing Team Eclipse, it can't be good." Jake whispered to us.

"True." Sonic replied.

"We need to find out what's going on." Jake started.

"Oh yeah. We are definitely doing this right now." I said, showing a playful evil smile.

"I'll battle this goon to keep him busy. You two go find out what their plans are." Jake explained.

"Ok." Sonic responded. Jake and the Eclipse Grunt glare at each other. This was our chance.

The city was pretty big. We were on the beach part of it right now. On the boardwalk technically. The beach is on the left. The _actual_ city is on the right.

The first thing we saw was the gym. There was another Eclipse Grunt blocking it. Great. Just great.

As we got closer to the gym once entering the city, the Grunt blocked it some more.

"You cannot enter the gym right now." He warned.

"And why the hell not?" I asked.

"If I do a good enough job guarding, I might get promoted," The Grunt replied, "I think I've got a rather good chance, seeing as my hair is cooler than the other guy's."

"Oh good grief..." I groaned. The Grunt took his attention to Sonic's egg.

"You should let me have that egg." He insisted.

"No. I promised I will take care of it." Sonic said.

"GIVE IT TO ME!" The Grunt screamed. He attempted to take Sonic's egg.

I slapped the Eclipse Grunt across the face.

"BACK. THE HELL. OFF." I warned. The Grunt scoffed and ignored us all. We went back to the beach.

Then... something unexpected happened.

 _Crack!_

"Nifty! The egg is hatching!" Sonic cheered happily. I was in shock, so I carefully removed the glass used to protect the egg. After some more cracking, the Pokémon is shown.

It was a cream star Pokémon with tiny hands and legs. Part of the egg was on the lower region of her body. Yes, it's a girl.

Yep. It's a Togepi.

"Oh my gosh, it's so cute!" Sonic cooed. Togepi yawns once, and then she looked at her surroundings. She looked at Sonic.

"Hello there." He greeted. Togepi tilted her head lightly.

"Let's go on an adventure, little one." Sonic insisted. Togepi just babbled.

"Don't forget to catch it before you truly keep it." I said.

"O-Oh, right! Thanks, Nifty!" Sonic exclaimed, startled by my sentence. Sonic took out a regular Poke ball, and threw it gently at Togepi.

She went in, and there were 3 shakes with ease. Sonic sends Togepi out immediately. The baby star raises her hands up, and Sonic carries her. Then Sonic lightly pets Togepi, making her giggle.

"We should find out what Team Eclipse is doing." I suggested.

"Okay, Nifty." Sonic replied. We saw a bunch of members at the lighthouse. That's our first stop.

Let's end these Eclipse fools right now.

* * *

 **A/N: Welp, it's finally done. Liked it? Hope ya did. There's gonna be a special Christmas chapter when Tess gets introduced. Have a great day, and I will see ya next time! :D**


	10. New Friend

**Welp, time for the time for the gang to meet a new friend. Good ol' Tess :D. And also... there's a Chrismas special! Yay!**

 **It's time now for you to see this next chapter. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Team Eclipse has raided Rosecove City. And do you know what Sonic and I are gonna do? We're gonna end it once and for all.

"I wonder why Team Eclipse would want to invade this city?" Sonic asked me.

"All we know is that it can't be good." I replied. Togepi looks at Sonic and tilts her head a tiny bit.

"They're the bad guys. They're not like us." Sonic whispered to the small star.

"We're definitely gonna have to protect her. She has just hatched." I warned.

"Agreed." Sonic responded. While Jake is busy fighting that Grunt back there when we first entered the city, we are the ones who are gonna go up to that lighthouse and stop the rest of the Eclipse fools.

What we saw in front of us is a small ramp, and at the end of that ramp is the lighthouse. Quite a decent number of Team Eclipse members here. There was one as soon as we started walking to the ramp.

He got pretty surprised by our appearance.

"Hey, aren't you two the people that tried messing up our plan in the volcano with Groudon?" He asked.

"If you mean two people who are _smart_ and actually do something _good_ for a living, then yes." I replied.

"There's no way I'm letting you two go any further after that little stunt you pulled!" The Eclipse Grunt exclaimed.

"Fine, bring it on! I can take you!" I yelled back.

* * *

I knew I had to take this guy on. He was getting me pretty angry. When do they not? I'm just that kind of guy... ESPECIALLY if they are on this evil group who call themselves Team Eclipse.

"Pancham, go!" I heard the Grunt yell. Great. Just freaking great. Is it bad enough I want to ask these fools how Linda is doing? In the form of _anger?_

"Okay then, in that case... show him, Charmeleon!" I shouted. The fire lizard comes out and roars. It's time to unexpectedly start this battle using a new, but powerful, move.

"Charmeleon, start this battle by using Flame Burst!" I commanded. He charges up, and a giant fire ball comes right towards Pancham. Direct hit. Wow, what a nice start.

"Pancham, use Comet Punch!" Eclipse Grunt yelled.

"Counter it with Metal Claw!" I called out. As soon as the punch almost lands, Charmeleon catches it with the sharp claws he has. A tiny scratch couldn't hurt. Or an injury.

Okay, never mind. That's taking it a bit too far.

"Finish him with Cut!" I continued. Charmeleon's claws went from metallic gray to a flashy white, and it slashed right through the opponent. Easy.

"Dang it. You're up next, Golbat!" The Grunt exclaimed, and he sent out his last Pokémon. I returned Charmeleon, and I sent out Tyrunt. He seemed necessary for such a battle. Rhyhorn could also be good, but I decided to give Tyrunt a chance since he really hasn't fought an actual trainer yet.

"Golbat, use Swift!"

Golbat flaps its wings very fast. Stars come out and come forward. Tyrunt just takes the hit. It didn't even give him a cut. He's as sturdy as a rock.

"Okay, Tyrunt! Use Ancient Power!" I demanded. Tyrunt yells, and a bunch of ancient rocks form. He throws them at Golbat. He tried to dodge it, but at least some of the rocks hit him. Unfortunately, no KO happens.

"Fine then, you Team Valor geek! Let me show Golbat's true power when he uses WING ATTACK!" The Grunt screamed. Golbat's wings glow, and he's coming.

"Tyrunt, Dragon Tail." I said smirking. Tyrunt's tail glows a bright purple, and it collides.

"Great colliding. Now use Stomp."

Tyrunt quickly raises his foot, and smacks it right on Golbat's face. That was enough to take him down.

"There's no way!" The Grunt screamed as he fell to his knees and pounded the floor.

"Hell yeah there is a way. There's always a way." I responded.

* * *

I don't even know what the crap I was saying, but... hey, at least we got through this. Whatever Team Eclipse really wants, it's gonna take a while if they want to win.

Sonic and I are tough trainers, so we know how battling works and how we'll get through it.

"Great job, Nifty! That guy looked so frustrated when he lost to you!" Sonic complimented. Togepi giggled as another add on.

"Listen here, little one," I said as I looked at Togepi, "We're dealing with the big boys right away, so make sure to watch out for them. Aight?"

Togepi nodded.

"Great. Let's go." I insisted. And we walk up the ramp. There were very small patches of tall grass. But there were blank spots, so it's very easy to just ignore it. We made it to the top, and there wasn't a lot I saw.

All I really saw was three members up ahead, and I don't know crap about what the heck they're doing. But in front were two more Grunts. That doesn't sound too bad.

Sonic walked a bit ahead of me so he can take on this guy.

"Hey, stop right there!"

Sonic immediately stopped and turned to look at him.

"We can't have guys like you getting in the way of our plans." The Eclipse Grunt exclaimed.

"Well, too bad. I am already in your way." Sonic retorted back. That was a good roast right there.

"We've already had some people mess things up for us back at the volcano. The boss would be so mad if that happened again here."

Wow. These guys are not smart. They should know better that Sonic and I _were_ the people who ruined the plans at Mt. Igneus.

I decided to just cut in and tell him directly.

"You DO realize that the people at the volcano were us. Right?" I asked.

"Seriously?! Well then, you're not gonna ruin THIS plan that we have right here!" The Grunt suddenly yelled.

"Ok then. Let's battle already." Sonic said impatiently.

* * *

I don't know what the heck that Grunt was yelling about. It's not like I give a crap about their personal lives. That's one thing I don't care much about nowadays.

"You're so dead, Team Eclipse! Just you wait!" I called out.

"Oh, indeed we will! Haunter! Here we go!" Eclipse Grunt shouted, and he sent out his first Pokémon. Oh, a Ghost type! Not bad.

"Well then. I am going to use... Lycanroc!" Sonic yelled, and he sent out his first Pokémon.

"Haunter, use Night Shade!"

Haunter shot out a dark wind at Lycanroc. He took the hit, but he struggled a tiny bit. It doesn't matter to him, the attack was WAY too weak.

"Lycanroc, use Rock Tomb!" Sonic commanded. Lycanroc howls, and huge rocks form. They're thrown at the opponent.

Haunter teleported with dark powers to avoid one. He cackles before Lycanroc throws another rock right at him, ending the laugh.

"Roc." The wolf said with a smug attitude.

"Okay... Haunter, Confuse Ray now!" Eclipse Grunt exclaimed. Haunter makes a bunch of small circles, and sends them right at Sonic's Pokémon. Aw crap.

"Quick, Lycanroc! Use Accelerock and dodge them all!" Sonic screamed. Lycanroc does so, and he ends his attack by colliding with the Ghost type. It resulted in a KO.

"Ha! I still have a second one... RIGHT HERE!" The Grunt screamed, and he sent out ANOTHER Haunter.

"Confuse Ray!"

And this time, the attack DID hit Lycanroc. Stars were his eyes, and he spun around continuously.

"Say no more. That just isn't good." Sonic said in defeat and putting his hand up while the Grunt laughed. Togepi noticed Sonic's hand, and so she did the same thing. Then she waved it around.

Her pointer finger was higher, and she laughed as she kept on waving her pointer finger around. What happened next surprised us all.

Togepi... it formed magical water orbs from its one finger, and it was sent right at Haunter, knocking him out immediately.

I know that move! IT'S FREAKING ORIGIN PULSE!

Sonic and I were in complete shock. Even Lycanroc snapped out of his confusion to see such a devastating blow.

"WHAT. THE HELL." I blurted out.

"Togepi? Did you do this?" Sonic asked the little star. Togepi just giggled and stuck her tongue out a bit.

"I know what happened," I said, now in my normal serious tone, "What Togepi just used was Metronome. It picks a random move, and then uses it. Togepi was lucky. She used Kyogre's signature move."

"Wow! That was awesome!" Sonic cheered.

"No, that was definitely NOT AWESOME! You cheater! You can't just use two Pokémon at once!" The Eclipse Grunt yelled.

"Back off, it JUST hatched! How about FOCUS on the battle so then you can lose?" I insisted.

"Yeah, I still have one more! Show them that cheater shouldn't be here, Mightyena!"

Well, at least that's one more Pokémon. And look at this: it's a wolf vs another wolf. This is gonna be a good match.

"Lycanroc! Accelerock!" Sonic shouted.

"Mightyena, use Take Down and counter this cheater!"

Both wolves growled at each other as they got close. I am just amused by the sight.

"Now Lycanroc! Counter!" Sonic screamed. Lycanroc punches Mightyena with his paw. Wow, that sure did a lot.

"Use Accelerock one more time!" Sonic continued. And that was enough to take the opponent down. That was great. Especially when Togepi wanted to get into the battle. Kinda.

"I'm going to get fired for this." The Grunt whined.

"Yeah. Once your friends and those other Eclipse fools get defeated to no tomorrow by the time we're done." I said with a smirk.

* * *

We were getting closer to the lighthouse. I wonder how many more until we see big stuff going on. 2 more Grunts nearby. One was close, and he notices me walking by.

"You think you can just walk up here and stop us from our work?" He asked.

"Um, yeah. We have rights here." I replied bluntly.

"Who do you think you are, you Team Valor geek?"

That made me get pretty furious.

"They are not geeks! THEY ARE SAINTS!" I screamed at him.

* * *

He is definitely gonna regret every sentence he just said to me.

"Alright, Frogadier! Make this fool regret his choice!" I yelled, and then I sent out my first Pokémon.

"Regret? I'll start with Torkoal to show you what regret truly is." The Grunt said, and he smugly sent out his first Pokémon. Wow. Really?

This is gonna be easy. I know my types. This fool doesn't.

"Try and dodge a Lava Plume!"

As soon as the Grunt said that, a bunch of lava balls were coming towards Frogadier.

"Oh no you don't! Frogadier, use Quick Attack!" I demanded. And Frogadier dodges them with ease.

"Now use Water Pulse!"

Torkoal was too slow to dodge the attack. And Frogadier just has that Arceus dang speed he was born with doing. Yep. A one hit KO. What else would anyone expect.

"Alright, Seviper. You are next!" Eclipse Grunt shouted. A Poison type, eh? Well, I already know what to do.

"Frogadier, return. I got this." I said, and then I return my Water starter back to his Poke Ball. I put my Great Ball in my hand.

"Rhyhorn, you're up!" I shouted, and sent out my next Pokémon.

"Seviper, Poison Fang! Go!"

Seviper slithers closer. I just wait a bit.

"Rhyhorn. Interrupt him. Use Bulldoze." I explained. And Rhyhorn shakes the ground. Seviper ended up tripping, even though it's a viper and doesn't have any bones.

"Kay, now use Stomp." I continued. Rhyhorn stomps right on Seviper's head, defeating him immediately. Yeah, I guess it's just bonds for why I am winning these battles pretty easily. Either that or these guys are just bad.

"And now it's your turn, Arbok!" The Grunt yelled. Wow. Okay, this is gonna be a pretty fast battle.

"Arbok, use-"

"Rhyhorn, Bulldoze." I interrupted him. And that one attack took him down. Not even a chance. Knew it was gonna be fast.

"Oh wait, you're that guy who was at the volcano with your friend when things didn't go according to plan..." The Grunt said in defeat.

"YOU JUST NOTICED _NOW?!_ " I screamed.

* * *

Arceus, the NERVE of these guys. I don't know how much more I can take of this.

"Look, Nifty! Stuff is happening on the other side!" Sonic said as he pointed to where 3 more Eclipse people were.

"Don't get ready just yet, Sonic. There's one more guy." I warned. Speaking of which, here he comes now. Great...

"My Pokémon are trained to take down meddlesome foes like yourselves." He bragged. He kinda acts like Kevin with that line. I don't even know why I care or why I freaking notice that.

"We'll see." Sonic said with a smile.

* * *

I watch it once again. Immediately, the Grunt sends out Anorith. A fossil? Wow, good catch I must say.

"Time for you to shine, Brionne!" Sonic cheered. As Sonic threw his Poke Ball up in the air, the sea lion comes down with a fancy twirl, bragging a bit to still try and impress Sonic.

"Now Brionne, use Water Pulse!" And Brionne starts that attack.

"Anorith! Ancient Power!"

Uh oh! Looks like he's a bit prepared! The rocks just go inside the orb before it pops after a while.

"Now use Bug Bite!" The Grunt screamed. Brionne yelped as the bug-like fossil bites her. Brionne shot a bunch of bubbles from her nose, which, surprisingly, defeats Anorith in one hit. Brionne just learned Bubble Beam. At just the right time, too.

"Well then... you can't get super effective hits when... Lileep is here!" Eclipse Grunt laughed. He's just REALLY trying to take advantage.

"I might still have a way. Brionne, use Icy Wind!" Sonic commanded. Brionne blew that frosty wind. It ended up freezing Lileep immediately.

"WHAT!?" The Grunt yelled out in anger.

"Told you I still have a way." Sonic responded.

"Yeah, you tell him, Sonic!" I called out.

"Now Brionne! Finish this with Disarming Voice!" Sonic screamed. And the highly pitched scream ended up not only defrosting Lileep, but defeating it as well.

"Try doing this. Skuntank! End it!"

Ok, now THIS might get a bit tougher.

"Use Slash!"

Skuntank raises its paw, and it grows larger, and it prepares to attack.

"Brionne, quick! Use Bubble Beam!" Sonic exclaime in worry. Luckily, Brionne ended up interrupting the attack. Wow, that was... pretty lucky. Skuntank is a bulky Pokémon.

"Now use Aqua Jet!" Sonic continued. Brionne, now surrounded with water, charges right at her opponent.

"No! Skuntank, use Bite!"

It was at this moment that the Grunt knew... he messed up. Skuntank just bit water, and that did literally nothing since Brionne already landed her attack.

"My team skipped leg day last week. We're never skipping leg day again." The Grunt sighed.

I don't understand what that has to do with anything, but whatever.

* * *

Welp, that's all of the Grunts defeated. We can finally see what is going on in front. There were 3 Team Eclipse members. 2 Grunts and one Admin. The Admin had hair similar to mine, but a large hat was covering it. The hat was black with an orange feather on the side. These Eclipse fools were harassing two people.

The first one was an old man. He had gray hair (like usual), and a white shirt with a brown vest. He had tan khakis, and small glasses. The second was a young girl around my age. She had purple hair (I dunno if it's dyed or not), and a brown safari hat was on her head. She had a black and white striped shirt, a purple scarf, and a long sleeve green sweater. She also had jeans and brown shoes. Both her and the man had tan skin. The Eclipse group was getting closer to them.

This doesn't look too good...

"I won't say this again, old man! Hand over the orb!" The Admin demanded.

"You can't have it! This is too dangerous in the wrong hands," The old man yelled back, "And in case you are confused, your hands are the wrong hands. Do you even know what this orb can do?"

"Yes, I do," The Admin replied, "We have a pair of archaeology experts and another pair of beyond smart scientists that tell us that the orb can be used to summon a powerful Pokémon. Powerful enough to create the seas!"

Wait a minute. Archaeology experts and smart scientists. That's my parents! And Sonic's as well! So they're definitely here to cause trouble. And the Pokémon they mentioned... it's highly possible it's Kyogre.

"And what makes you think you could control such a beast?" The old man asked.

"We're Team Eclipse, you old fool! We can do anything we want. We are the most powerful organization on the planet!" The Admin complained.

Okay, now THAT is taking it too far.

"And right now, the only thing standing in our way is a feeble old man." The Admin continued.

"Well, I'd say if you're having enough trouble with me, there's no way you are as powerful as a group as you claim." The man said with a smug look.

"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" The Admin screeched. I smiled at his yelling since it really amuses me.

"Grandpa, please let me fight these men," The girl finally spoke up, "My Pokémon are strong enough! I can do this!"

"No, Tess. It's not safe," The grandfather said, "You shouldn't be out here. Please run inside and lock the door behind you."

"But Grandpa..." The girl, who I now knew as Tess, complained.

"Go now! I can't let anything happen to you!" Her grandpa yelled sternly. Tess took one look at her grandfather, and then a look at the Eclipse group. She didn't notice us since Sonic and I were behind them.

Tess just sighed, and then she ran inside the house behind her, which I obviously knew was their home, and then closed the door. I heard a soft click, so I knew she locked it. Smart choice.

"It was smart enough of you to send away your granddaughter. She would have been crushed by our Pokémon." The Admin said smugly.

"You leave her alone! This fight is between us." The old man exclaimed.

"Yes, and it ends now." The Admin continued. He turns to one of the Grunts.

"Take the orb from him!" Admin commanded.

"Yes sir, Admin Gabe!" The Grunt said with a salute. He ran over to the old man and shoved him, making him fall down and drop the orb. I looked closely, the orb was blue with an alpha symbol on the front. The Grunt gave "Admin Gabe" the orb.

"We finally have what we need to call on the legendary Pokémon of the sea now!" Gabe laughed, "The boss is going to give me a huge raise for this. Well, thank you. We'll be leaving now."

Sonic and I got into a protecting stance, blocking him. Gabe was kinda surprised by our appearance.

"And just where the hell do you think you're going?" I exclaimed.

"Oh, who are these two?" Gabe asked, still kinda shocked by our sudden appearance.

"You should darn well know who the heck we are." I replied rudely.

"Are you two here to try and stop _us,_ too?" Gabe asked some more. Sonic and I nodded.

"Heh, I'm afraid you're a little late. We have what we have come for. Our plan is one step closer to being completed." Gabe said with an evil smile.

"You guys, man..." Sonic groaned.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way." Gabe said. He began to walk, but I got in his way and shoved him. He fell down, but he quickly got up and dusted himself off.

"What's this? You won't let us pass without a fight?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah. You're not gonna get away this easily, you know." I replied.

"Well, if a fight is what you want, a fight if what you'll get." Gabe said. He turned to one of the Grunts, and slapped his shoulder, getting out of his daydreaming trance.

"Alright, boys! You're up!" Gabe yelled.

"The trail ends here for you." The Grunt on the right said to me. I held up a Poke Ball in my hand. I was ready to end this battle.

* * *

Ok, I'm gonna make this quick. I'm gonna make sure these Team Eclipse guys are gonna know who they are messing with.

"Gulpin! Stop these outsiders!" The Grunt yelled. His first Pokémon was sent out. I checked my Pokédex for how many he has. Only two? Heh. This is gonna be easy then.

"Rhyhorn! Come on out!" I shouted. The Rock/Ground Pokémon lands on his feet as I sent him out. He was definitely ready for a fight.

"Okay, now start by using Smack Down!" I commanded. A big rock was shot. It does decent damage on Gulpin.

"Use Toxic!"

Rhyhorn ran away from the attack without my signal. But then... another Toxic hits. CRAP! Rhyhorn slowly takes damage from the bad poison.

"Well then... use Bulldoze now!" I screamed. With enough energy, Rhyhorn makes the ground shake. Gulpin trips and immediately faints.

"Okay, now you're up, Lombre!" The Eclipse Grunt shouted, and he sent out his last Pokémon.

"Rhyhorn, return now!" I shouted in worry. Luckily no further harm was there.

"Let's try this. Go Tyrunt!" I yelled. I decided to make sure his attacks do normal damage.

"Lombre, use Bubble Beam!"

He does so, but Tyrunt takes the hit without getting hurt much.

"Nice defense tricks! Now, use Dragon Tail!" I shouted. Tyrunt roars in response. His tail glows, and slams it right on Lombre. Plus, he seemed pretty fast.

"Lombre, use Fury Swipes! Quick!" The Grunt yelled.

"Tyrunt! Block it with Bite!" I exclaimed. Before Lombre can leave a nasty scratch, Tyrunt bites his hand, making him yelp.

"Now finish this with Ancient Power!" I screamed. As Lombre was still recovering from the bite mark, he got smacked by fossilized rocks.

A KO. Now THAT'S how a true battle goes. Especially against a Grunt like him.

"Team Eclipse cannot be stopped." He warned.

"Well, how about if a Team Valor fan and his friend are here to completely do it? That certainly counts for something." I said with a smirk.

* * *

I just sat with a smile as the Grunt glares at me from my last sentence. He just walks back to Gabe. The other Grunt on the left approached me.

"You're lucky to have made it this far." He complimented, but still kinda angry at me.

"Heh. I am lucky here, aren't I?" I said innocently. It was fake innocence, mind you. I ain't no bystander. I am a gosh darn fighter.

"But it's gonna end for you. Scraggy, go get him!" The Grunt shouted, and he sent out his first Pokémon. Okay, let's see... how many does he have? Two again? Yeah, we got this. We got this in the bag.

"Well then... Charmeleon, you're up!" I yelled back. Let's see how this guy can try and deal right here.

"Scraggy! Use Low Kick!"

"Charmeleon, block it by using Flame Burst!"

Scraggy was interrupted by the flame hitting his leg, making it catch on fire. Ooh, that's gonna leave a mark. But I don't care since this is Team Eclipse we're talking about.

"Now use Metal Claw!" I continued. Surprisingly, that was enough to take him down.

"Nuzleaf! Go and finish the job!"

You know, that statement is kinda contradictory. You barely did anything. Finish the job... that just ain't enough.

"Nuzleaf, use Feint Attack!

The opposing Pokémon was getting close.

"Ugh... Charmeleon. Flame Burst." I groaned. And the KO was there. Wow.

This guy was easier than the other guy.

"You're in trouble now." The Grunt warned.

"Shut up, you idiot. No one asked you." I exclaimed.

* * *

The Eclipse Grunt walks back, also annoyed by my sentence. Man, I'm just that kind of guy who is good at roasting. I feel like that almost every time.

"Ugh, If you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself." Gabe groaned.

"Yeah, cause... these guys are... not good at battling." I said.

"I'm not gonna let you ruin our plan like some guys did back in the volcano." Gabe warned.

"No worries. Because we will-"

"I'll handle this one, Nifty." Sonic interrupted.

"You sure?" I asked.

"Definitely. I can feel it that both of us can do great here." Sonic replied.

"I wish you luck, dude. Don't let them stop you." I said as I pumped my fist.

"Because of those people interfering with my brother's efforts to capture Groudon, I was trusted by the boss to come here and secure the Blue Orb." Gabe explained. So it was similar when Harry tried to get the Red Orb. I was gonna blurt out and say those people were us, but I decided against it.

"I musn't let my boss down. Prepare now for your defeat." Gabe said.

"Not when I am here!" Sonic shouted.

"Ha! We'll see about that. Go Sneasel!" Gabe yelled, and he sent out his first Pokémon.

"Well then, guess we will start off. Lycanroc! Defeat Team Eclipse for us!" Sonic screamed, and he sent out his first Pokémon. Now that's gonna be that one battle I am very interested in seeing. I want to see Sonic kick the crap out of this guy.

"Lycanroc! Use Accelerock!" Sonic commanded. And his Pokémon was still very fast. This might be good.

"Sneasel! Agility!"

Or not. Before Lycanroc's attack landed, Sneasel avoided it with even more faster speed, and it left Lycanroc flabbergasted.

"Now use Beat Up!" Gabe shouted. Lycanroc was continuously punched by Sneasel. Geez. That's pretty rough.

"Lycanroc! Are you ok?" Sonic asked. Lycanroc barks angrily as an agreement, saying that he is okay.

"Do you even know who you are messing with? Because I don't know if you are good enough to even try, really." Gabe mocked. Sonic just growls in anger. If Sonic can win this battle, then he'll have to beat Gabe at his own game.

"That will be your quote when you are defeated. Lycanroc, use Rock Tomb!" Sonic shouted. But instead of really heading for Sneasel, it instead went around it.

"Ha, you idiot! You missed!" Gabe laughed.

"I wasn't aiming for you." Sonic said with a smile. And Lycanroc runs up to the rocks, where Sneasel was pretty much trapped. The arena was closed in.

"WHAT!?" Gabe screamed.

"That's right! Now Lycanroc! Use Thrash!" Sonic yelled. And Lycanroc ruthlessly beat Sneasel like it did to Lycanroc before. The rocks made the damage even more impactful.

"You're clever I must say." Gabe complimented.

"Both Nifty and I are." Sonic said.

"Just watch when the next attacks get the best of you. Sneasel, Agility!" Gabe exclaimed. And Sneasel teases Lycanroc with speed.

"Don't let the pressure get to you, Lycanroc! Hang in there!" Sonic yelled. And Lycanroc gives a bark as an approval.

"Metal Claw." Gabe continued. Sonic smiled once he knew what was coming.

"Lycanroc. Counter!" He shouted. And when Sneasel got REALLY close, Lycanroc punches it with its sharp claws on his paw.

"Sneasel, one more time! FREAKING AGILITY!" Gabe screamed. And it teases once again.

"You're not doing too well if this is what happens." Sonic said with an unamused look. Togepi babbles as an agreement.

"What do you think, man? It's just my style." Gabe exclaimed.

"A crappy style. That's what it is." I called out.

"Shut up!" Gabe demanded.

"I can do whatever the hell I want." I said with a smirk.

"Lycanroc, use Rock Tomb!" Sonic yelled. And more rocks came down, but Sneasel dodges them all.

"And now use Accelerock!" Sonic screamed. Sneasel ran away to dodge it, and he did good so far. Up until it ran into the edge of the rocks and hurt its face.

Then Lycanroc ended up finishing the job. Sneasel fainted because of so many rocks hitting it in one day.

"Ugh! How?! This can't even be right!" Gabe complained.

"That's how it goes. You didn't try hard enough." Sonic teased. Gabe returns Sneasel to its ball, and glares at my friend angrily.

"Well, I still have 2 more Pokémon! Arbok, show him!" He yelled, and sent out his second Pokémon.

"Now wrap it around!" Gabe commanded. Arbok slithers around, but Lycanroc seemed prepared.

"Counter it, buddy!" Sonic said. And he did so. But Arbok caught the paw on time and wrapped its tail around it. Lycanroc was surprised. Such amazing endurance.

Arbok slithers some more, and it wraps its tail around Lycanroc's body, choking him a bit.

"What are you gonna do now?" Gabe asked.

"No, no no no no no! Lycanroc return!" Sonic shouted in worry, and he returns Lycanroc to his Poke Ball. The Rock Tomb around the grassy field disappeared.

"It was all a front. Just to get rid of all this rocky crap." Gabe chuckled.

"I guess we'll do my next plan. Quilladin, show him-" Sonic started, but he was interrupted when Togepi giggled and used Metronome. Out of all the moves randomized... what will be picked?

Turns out the move was Hyper Beam. A beam came from Togepi's pointer finger, and it was huge and powerful. Arbok took the hit since it wasn't prepared. And was it a KO?

Heck yeah it was. Togepi seemed a bit exhausted after using that attack. After all, it takes time to recharge. But it tapped Sonic lightly to get its trainer's attention.

"What's up, Togepi?" Sonic said as he turns his head to the small star. Togepi points at the house.

"You want to check on the girl?" Sonic asked. Togepi nodded.

"Ok. Just to make sure she's safe." Sonic responded. He set Togepi down, and she walked to the house. Tess peeked through the window to see Togepi standing there. She disappeared from the window and then opens the door slightly.

"Come in." She whispered. Togepi obliges and goes inside. Once Togepi was inside, Tess closed the door and locked it.

"No fair! That can't be right! You can't just go out there and let that attack land like that!" Gabe whined.

"Dude, Togepi is a Pokémon. Her only known move is Metronome. It is allowed to do that." I said bluntly.

"Well now I am down to one more Pokémon thanks to you. Go Solrock." Gabe said, and his last Pokémon was sent out.

"Now it is your turn, Quilladin!" Sonic cheered, and his starter was here. Finish him, Sonic. Let's go.

"Start with Needle Arm!" Sonic commanded. And Quilladin does so.

"Psychic." Gabe said. Solrock's eyes glow, and Quilladin was lifted up from the ground. Solrock throws Quilladin to the right. He almost fell into the water, but he stopped himself before it happened.

"And now use Rock Slide." Gabe continued. A bunch of rocks were falling from the sky.

"Quilladin! Use Pin Missile and break all of them!" Sonic exclaimed. Spiky green missiles come out of Quilladin's spikes on his head. They collide with the rocks, and white smoke was formed.

"Great job, Quilladin! Use Needle Arm one more time!" Sonic shouted.

"Solrock. Cosmic Power." Gabe commanded. The ancient sun Pokémon meditates for a bit before Quilladin rams into it. But the move ended up raising his defense, so it took the attack easily.

"Nice try! Solrock! Use Psychic again, make him suffer!" Gabe screamed. Solrock once again lifts Quilladin up. But instead of throwing him, he just makes him stand there. Quilladin was continuously struggling to break free.

"Okay. I will make this easy for you." Gabe started. Solrock moves Quilladin until he was facing the ocean, making the Grass starter freak out.

"Surrender now, and I will let him go," Gabe explained, "But if you _don't_ surrender... then I will drop him into the water, and never make him come back!"

"No..." Sonic mumbled in fear. And I can sense Gabe will know it's a trick if Sonic says he will surrender. It's pros and cons of which to pick on either side!

"I will... never surrender." Sonic said. Gabe just growled.

"Fine then. Suffer for all eternity." Gabe replied, and Solrock lets go. Quilladin was falling. Sonic lowers his knees a tiny bit. I look at the edge, and something surprised me.

Quilladin was still hanging on with just one hand on the cliff. I had to help him.

"Grab on." I whispered. Quilladin nods, and he grabs my hand with his other. I pull him up. Sonic looked at us, and he got happy.

"Quilladin! You're okay!" He cheered.

"Din." The Spiny Armored Pokémon said with a wink and a smile. Gabe on the other hand, was furious.

"NO, NO, NO! I thought I killed you! YOU FELL OFF THE EDGE!" He screeched.

"Think again." I simply said.

"Well, that's fine. I'll still finish you off anyway. Solrock, use Rock Slide!" Gabe yelled.

"Dodge them all, Quilladin! Then use Needle Arm!" Sonic shouted. As the rocks were falling, Quilladin was rolling to dodge it.

Then he runs up and lands his move. Solrock got surprised, and then in a blink of an eye, was finally down.

Both Sonic and I cheered in happiness. That was a very close battle. Much more close than the battle with Harry, who I assume is Gabe's brother. Speaking of Gabe, he sighed in anger as he returns Solrock to its ball.

"You're gonna regret this." Gabe warned.

* * *

"Nice job, Sonic! You showed that Eclipse fool what for!" I said as I give my friend a friendly slap on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Nifty. We had a close call right there." Sonic replied.

"No, this can't happen again! Team Eclipse cannot continue to be frustrated like this!" Gabe screamed as he stomps his foot on the ground. One of the Grunts looked at us surprised.

"Wait, I thought I might've recognized you two. You two are the people who messed up the volcano job, too." He explained.

"Surprise, surprise." I said sarcastically.

"Oh, really? So you make it your business to ruin our plans, do you?" Gabe exclaimed as he turns to us.

"Yes. You were trying to steal, and that is wrong." Sonic said.

"You should really be careful. We do not deal lightly with repeat offenders." Gabe warned.

"That does make sense. But we're here to help." Sonic responded.

"I'll make sure that you two are paid another visit by some very strong Team Eclipse members." Gabe said with an evil smile. I mimic what he said. All of this is stuff I could care less about.

"Anyways, it's clear we've been beaten here. I can see by the look on your face that you don't plan on letting us get away with the Blue Orb." Gabe said, regaining his serious attitude.

"Give the orb back." Sonic commanded.

"Well, in that case... if I can't have it, then nobody can." Gabe replied. He ran over to the edge of the cliff and threw the Blue Orb in the ocean. The old man got up, and he was shocked by what he just saw.

"NO! Do you have any idea what you've just done?! You've summoned the beast!" He screamed. And a second later, it started to pour. Thank Arceus none of our Pokémon are out. Sonic returned Quilladin immediately after the battle ended.

It was raining hardly all over Rosecove City. People were screaming and rushing inside for shelter. The ocean rose up a tiny bit.

Now I wish I had an umbrella...

Then, we saw something on the other side of the rocks far from the shore of the ocean. A giant Pokémon jumped high, and it came close to all of us. The Pokémon was a blue whale, and it was _huge._ It had big fins, and a four striped tail. There were red markings on the front of its fins, that we could see it. Holy crap.

It's Kyogre.

"We did it! Despite our losses, Kyogre has shown itself to us! We have another chance!" Gabe cheered. The Grunts laughed with him. This encounter left me very surprised. Sonic felt the same way.

"We need to get out of here right now!" The old man yelled, "Kyogre has been absent from the presence of humans for far too long. There is no telling what it may do!"

"Hush, old fool! It is clear Kyogre is showing loyalty to the one who summoned it! It awaits my command!" Gabe exclaimed.

"Or perhaps it's trying to decide who to punish for calling upon it without a purpose? Did you think of that?" The man asked.

"True fact." I said.

"Our archaeological experts and 225 IQ scored scientists swear that Kyogre will show its loyalty to those who summoned it!" Gabe replied, "We must act quickly now to capture Kyogre, then bring it back to the boss. Quickly, hand me an empty Poke Ball!"

"Here you go, Admin." One of the Grunts said as she showed a Poke Ball. Gabe smiled as he grabbed it. He looks at Kyogre, his grin wider than before.

"Kyogre! Accept me as your new trainer and help us create a new world together!" Gabe demanded. He threw the ball, but it just bounced off of the legendary.

 **"Never! What did you think would happen? You're not so smart thinking it would happen that easily."** Kyogre yelled.

"Uhhhh... was that supposed to happen?" Gabe asked worriedly.

 **"Was it _supposed_ to happen? Mortal fool! I don't get how you think it would be that easy!" **Kyogre bellowed.

"What's wrong, you overgrown stinking fish!" Gabe shouted angrily. This made Kyogre even more angry.

 **"YOU SON OF A..."** The legendary exclaimed, but then it charged up some powerful attack. Once it was done charging, it shot it right at the Eclipse group. They were sent flying into the air.

"OH MY ARCEUS!" I screamed.

"Wow, I thought only Team Rocket blasted off like that." The old man chuckled.

 **"You three... smart enough to know these fools' true intentions. Just take the orb and I will be on my way."** Kyogre said. It sunk down a bit, but quickly went back up and threw the Blue Orb back onto the ground next to Sonic and I. Then Kyogre disappeared under the ocean, swimming far away from us. The storm ended. We were all soaking wet.

"That. Was. Intense." I said.

"Definitely! It sent chills down my spine!" Sonic exclaimed. We turn to the old man, who was looking at us.

"I warned those guys," He said, "Pokémon of legend do not take kindly to corrupt people with selfish intentions. Those men were only here to capture and control Kyogre to fulfill their evil plans."

"Yeah. My parents told me a lot about legendary Pokémon. Same with Sonic. That's why we are known as one of the smartest people in our Pokémon school district." I explained.

"And... was it just me, or did that man ask Kyogre to "help him build a new world together?" The man asked. That part dug deep into my head. I just shrugged.

"I wonder what he was talking about," The grandfather continued, "Anyways, it's a good sign that Kyogre returned the Blue Orb. He must have gone back to resting."

The old man reached down to pick up the Blue Orb, but Sonic and I heard a crunching sound, and the man winced in pain.

"Ow! Ooh, my back!" He groaned.

"Woah! Geez, dude! Take it easy!" I insisted. I reach down and pick the Orb up for him. I gave it to him so he doesn't get any more pain from trying.

He smiled a bit, which is a sign that he appreciated my help.

"It seemed that Kyogre could tell that we were trying to help," He explained, "The Blue Orb has been in my family for centuries, and many tales have been passed down with it."

"Interesting." Sonic said.

"Team Eclipse mentioned something about archaeologists and scientists telling them that Kyogre would follow whoever summoned him," The old man continued, "The tales in my family say otherwise. Kyogre chooses to follow only those with pure intentions. It seemed those archaeologists and scientists sent those men out on a wild Zangoose chase. I'm sure men like those will never understand why what they had done was wrong."

Before any of us could respond, Jake came running to us.

"I saw the whole thing from the beach!" He yelled.

"Jake, if you did, you'd be soaked like we are." I said. I shake some more wetness off of me.

"Okay, fine! I was inside the Pokémon Center! But still! What was that Pokémon?!" Jake exclaimed.

"That was Kyogre, the legendary Pokémon of the sea. Its presence created that monsoon that just came out of nowhere. It has the power to create heavy downpours wherever it goes. According to legend, it created the seas." The old man explained.

"That's incredible! It must have been so exciting to see it from so close!" Jake cheered.

"No, the exciting part is that we are still alive." The man said. Then he remembered something.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Oh, and that reminds me. My granddaughter is still inside the house." The old man replied. He turned over to the house.

"Tess, you can come out now. The bad men are gone." He called out.

Bad men? Dude, you make it sound like your granddaughter is 5 years old. When, in the short time I saw her, she looked _way_ older than that.

The girl, who I knew as Tess, opened the door with an annoyed look on her face. Togepi ran back to Sonic, and he picked her up right away.

Tess faces her grandfather with a pouty look.

"You don't have to talk to me like I'm a child, Grandpa. Let alone treat me like one. I could've taken care of those men a long time ago if you would've just let me battle them." She said with her arms crossed and a huff.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm just afraid for you is all," Her grandfather replied, "You tend to be a little reckless at times."

"Well, if you would just let me have my own adventures, I wouldn't _be_ so reckless." Tess said back.

"You know what, Tess? You are right..."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes. I really haven't been very fair making you stay at home. I just worry for your safety. As young as you are, I wasn't sure if it was right for you to leave on your own yet."

He turned to us.

"But after seeing these two trainers courageously take on those men like that, I think I can allow you to leave home. I do have one request however."

"Go ahead. Ask it." I insisted.

"Would you two please allow my granddaughter to travel with you? It would give me peace of mind knowing that she is in the company of three strong and brave heroes." Tess's grandfather asked.

"Sure!" Sonic replied.

"I allow it." I added.

"Oh my, I didn't catch your names! What is yours?" The old man asked me.

"My name is Nifty. Nifty Weaka." I replied.

"Hee hee hee... nice name. I think that name is very _nifty._ " Tess giggled. I pretended to blow an air horn. I also chuckled silently at that.

"Oh, alright. So you are Nifty." Her grandpa said. Tess looked at me for a second.

"Can I see your shirt?" She asked.

"Take all the time you need." I replied. She seemed a bit surprised.

"Are you a member of Team Valor?!" Tess exclaimed.

"I wish. Never got the opportunity to join them. I just remain a fan." I responded. Tess nodded.

"How about you? What is your name?" The man asked Sonic.

"My name is Sonic Harknah, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you both." Sonic replied.

"Sonic, eh? As in... the video game character? Made by Sega?" Tess asked.

"Yes. Most people remember me that way, actually." Sonic responded.

"Excellent. And what is your name, young lad?" The old man asked Jake. But Jake was silent. I looked at him, and I saw he was looking at Tess with hearts as his eyes.

"Um... Jake?" I asked. I snap my fingers in front of him a few times. He didn't snap out of his trance. Weird. That usually works.

"Um, Nifty? Sonic? What's up with your friend?" Tess asked.

"Ummm, ok. Let's just call you Nifty and Sonic's friend for now." Her grandfather added.

"No. Don't bother wasting your time," I said abruptly, "His name is Jake. He is a very energetic boy, but... he is acting like THIS for some reason."

"Thank you again for helping me with those fiendish men, Nifty. You too, Sonic." The man thanked.

"Any time, dude. Always happy to help." I responded.

"You have much success in your futures, I can tell. I wish you all the best of luck in your adventures. And please do watch over my granddaughter." The old man continued.

"She's safe in our eyes." Sonic chuckled. Tess hugged her grandfather.

"Grandpa, thank you so much! I will come back when I've seen the world. We can talk about all of my adventures and it will be so much fun!" She said.

"I know, sweetie. Good luck, and enjoy the company of your new friends." Her grandpa said. Tess breaks away from the hug, and just gives a small smile.

"I will." She replied. Then she turned to us.

"Well, I'm ready to leave town whenever you are." She said. She took our attention to a special item.

"Oh! I see you three are collecting Gym Badges." Tess said as she points to it.

"We are. And check this out." I replied, and then I pull out my badge case. Sonic does the same. We open it, showing our badges we got from the last 2 gyms.

"We have 2 badges." Sonic said. Tess clapped while smiling.

"There is a Gym in town, you know. So how about I wait by the gate that leads to that leads to Route 9 until you get the badge in Rosecove City?" Tess asked.

"That sounds like lovely idea! I will come with you to keep you company!" Jake suddenly yelled.

"Oh, look at that. He does talk after all." Tess chuckled.

"Heh, yeah..." Jake said as he blushes. I smirked by it. Jake turned to us, his blush gone.

"Nifty, Sonic. You two go ahead and get that badge. I'm going to go keep Tess safe in case there are any more of those Team Eclipse goons still in town. Come meet us by the gate to Route 9 when you're ready." Jake insisted.

"If you kids will excuse me... I'll be heading inside for some rest. This old man has been through quite enough today already. Good bye and good luck." The old man said, and then walks back inside the house.

"Well, now that that is over... let's go and-" Sonic started, but got interrupted by something. It seemed like a mixture of screaming and crying.

"What was that?" Jake asked.

"It sounds like it came from the beach." Tess replied. We looked down at the beach. And we saw a small, blue figure.

"Something is down there. But why?" Jake wondered. Everyone's attention came to me, which left me annoyed.

"WHY ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT ME?! LET'S GO CHECK IT OUT!" I screamed. We ran down the ramp, and turned right to step on the sand of the beach.

Once we reached the beach, we saw what the blue figure was.

It was a male Frillish.

"A Frillish? What is it doing here?" Jake asked. It was crying, which left Jake and Tess kinda worried.

Tess walked over to it.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you ok?" She asked. Frillish backed away a bit. Then I realized. Sonic did as well.

"Wait a second... I KNOW THAT FRILLISH!" I shouted as I pointed at him. Tess and Jake looked at me confused.

"You do?" Tess asked.

"Yes, we do! That Frillish once belonged to Kevin!" Sonic yelled.

"Kevin? That was the person you mentioned back at Route 8, right?" Jake asked.

"Yes. Kevin released it because he think it's 'too weak'," I explained, "So when Sonic and I arrived at Lagoona Lake, we saw Kevin release it to the wild. The Frillish was crying before it ran away. I guess it somehow ended up here."

"I have a Lycanroc on my team. When he was still a little Rockruff, Kevin released him because he thought the dog was too weak. But look now. He's actually pretty strong." Sonic added.

"I've seen that Lycanroc from inside. I peeked through the window. But... it looked unfamiliar." Tess said.

"We call it a Dusk Form Lycanroc. That's why you think it looks different." Sonic replied.

"But... who is this 'Kevin' person?" Tess asked.

"Just an idiot who thinks he's strong." I responded.

"But what should we do with the Frillish? We can't just leave him here!" Tess exclaimed.

"One of us would have to keep him." Sonic said.

"You know... I think you should catch it, Tess. You were trying to comfort him." Jake suggested.

"What?! M-Me?! Why me?" Tess yelled.

"Tess. You seem like a nice person who can take care of Frillish. Especially after what Kevin did to him." Sonic explained.

"I suppose you're right." Tess replied.

"Here, I have an empty Poke Ball. Knock yourself out." I said as I tossed her a ball. Tess came a little closer to the Frillish.

"Would you like to journey with me? All of us together?" Tess asked. Frillish finally began to smile.

"Frill!" The Water/Ghost Pokémon cheered.

"Okay then. Go Poke Ball!" Tess shouted, and she threw the ball right at Frillish. He went in. The ball lands on the ground.

One shake...

Two...

Three...

 _Click!_

Frillish was flawlessly caught. Tess picks up the ball and smiles.

"Remember, you don't have to make it battle. Just take care of it. Since Kevin broke his heart." Sonic said.

"Fine by me." Tess replied with a smile.


	11. Christmas Special

lWe were walking back to the city. Sonic and I were ready to challenge the Gym. But then someone walked up to us.

It was a woman with long, brown hair. She had a black headband on. She wore a black shirt with a jean jacket. And black sweatpants with white shoes.

"Huh? Tess? Is that you?" She asked. Tess smiled since she knew who she was.

"Aunt Chloe!" She exclaimed, and she ran up to the woman and hugged her.

"Wow! What a surprise reunion!" Sonic said.

"You could say that again." I replied. Chloe looked at us.

"Oh, you two! You are the ones who stopped Team Eclipse from raiding our city!" She exclaimed. Sonic and I were surprised. Jake just stared blankly.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"I was looking across from my house," Chloe responded, "I was about to visit her, but I saw those Team Eclipse people coming to her and threatening her and her Grandpa! I saw you two running up the ramp to save her!"

"Well... we did do a good job. It was a close call." Sonic said with a nervous smile.

"Would you three like to come for dinner? It is the holiday season after all! Plus, it is pretty chilly outside. You should come inside for some warmth." Chloe insisted.

"I would love to!" Jake cheered.

"Sure. We'll come." I said, and Sonic nodded in agreement.

"Wonderful! Just follow me. My house is over there." Chloe instructed. We followed to her to a house. It was small, but... I guess it's decent.

There were a few more people there once we all went inside. I assume they're all Tess's family members.

"Hello everyone!" Tess greeted. And she spent her time talking to her family. Chloe had a big smile on her face.

"So... they're all related to Tess? They're part of her family?" Sonic asked.

"Yes. If only her mom and dad were here. But... they haven't come in a long time." Chloe said.

"Do you know what happened to them? Did they pass away?" I asked.

"All I heard was that they disappeared. That's all I know." Chloe replied. She took a deep breath, and then she decides to change the subject.

"Dinner will not be ready for a while. Why don't you guys let your Pokémon play outside the city?" She insisted.

"You know, that's actually a good idea. They've been inside their Poke Balls for a while." I responded.

"Well then, let's do it!" Sonic cheered.

"I should let mines play as well." Tess said. And we went outside the house. The only people beside be are Jake, Tess and Sonic.

"Everyone, come on out!" We all yelled in unison. My Pokémon were the first to come. Frogadier, Charmeleon, then Nidorino and Tyrunt. Rhyhorn came last.

Then Sonic's came. Lycanroc, then Quilladin, and then Brionne. Togepi jumps out of Sonic's arms and goes to the other Pokémon.

Then Jake's. Vaporeon, Blitzle and Nidorino. I wonder what kind of Pokémon Tess has.

She only had 3 (technically 4 since Frillish was caught). Gabite, Shelgon, and Axew. And of course, Frillish was there as well.

"You have all Dragon types?" I asked.

"Those kinds of Pokémon interested me when I was in summer camp as a little girl." Tess replied.

"Let's head back inside. The family might be waiting." Sonic suggests. And the others went inside the house. I looked at all the Pokémon before meeting up with them.

"Have fun, guys! Don't get in trouble! We'll call you back inside when dinner is ready!" I said, and then I disappeared inside the house until they didn't see me.

But they're good Pokémon. Heck, they might even have a tiny little adventure.

* * *

 **-Nifty's Frogadier's POV-**

I looked around with a smile. We were playing around for a bit until our trainers come back. My new pals that have been with me since the start of my journey we're doing fun stuff. Charmeleon and Nidorino were battling. Not too harsh. Just a friendly one.

"Gotcha now!" Nidorino laughed. But Charmeleon got the upper hand and pushed him back.

"Have at thee!" Charmeleon yelled back. And they continued their friendly battle.

"Hey, Frogadier. What do you want to do?" Rhyhorn asked me.

"Not sure. I mean, I know we're free to play. Maybe we should explore around." I replied.

"Suit yourself." Tyrunt said. I looked some more. Quilladin and Brionne were having a small argument.

"Sonic needs my attention! He's so cool!" Brionne yelled.

"We can share it together! Why do you have to be this way?" Quilladin shouted. I just sighed. I saw Lycanroc with Frillish. I peek just to see it.

"I-I'm really sorry for trying to h-hurt you when I was still with Kevin. D-Do you forgive me?" Frillish asked, a little bit teary eyed.

"Pal, it takes some time. I will think about it. But I'll give you a chance since Kevin released me as well." Lycanroc replied.

Nothing else interesting going on. Jake's Pokémon were introducing themselves to Tess's Pokémon. Yeah, she seems like a nice girl.

Nifty is just... this really cool guy. I know how he acts and why he is that way. He gets angry by stuff easily, but he's calm enough to know he cannot hit them, or else something bad will happen. A small slap would be okay. But he knows how to control a punch or a kick very well.

Then... something else got my attention.

I look by the gateway, and I saw a red and white figure.

"Huh? What in the world?" I said confused. Charmeleon walked to me.

"Distracted? What are you seeing?" He asked. I pointed to the figure.

"Maybe it needs help." Charmeleon suggested.

"Help? What kind of help?" Quilladin asked as he runs over to us.

"Brionne still giving you a hard time?" I said with a smirk.

"Unfortunately, yes. I understand Sonic is good, but she wants to much of it and just wants it to herself." Quilladin explained.

"Hey, Frogadier! What's up, pal!" Vaporeon greeted.

"There's a red and white figure there. It's wandering around, and we're thinking of checking it out." I explained the situation to him.

"I'll come along. It's nothing I cannot handle." Vaporeon insisted.

"'Kay. Let's go." I said. The only ones following me were Charmeleon, Vaporeon and Quilladin. The others were playing or talking.

When we got closer, we saw who it was. It had red skin and white fur. It also held a white bag. It's a Delibird.

"Huh? What is a Delibird doing here?" Charmeleon asked. Speaking of which, Delibird notices us.

"Oh! Who are you four? Here to help?" He asked us.

"Is something wrong? You look a bit panicked." Quilladin wondered.

"I am looking for Santa. We were riding in the sleigh to help give presents to the kids, but somehow... we got separated." Delibird explained.

"Do you remember where you last saw him?" Vaporeon asked.

"He said he might be coming here. But I don't know when. If we don't find each other soon, then Christmas will be a disaster!" Delibird cried.

"Don't worry. We will help you find him." I said.

"Yeah! If he got hurt, then we know exactly what to do! We are pretty good battlers!" Charmeleon exclaimed.

"Oh gosh. T-Thank you guys so much! Come, we should start before it's too late!" Delibird insisted. We all nod, and we walk around the city to look for Delibird's partner.

It might be a little bit hard.

 ***a few minutes later***

We were still looking around. It's true, Santa is a bit hard to find. Quilladin was checking the left side of the city, while Vaporeon was checking the beach. Charmeleon and I were by each other. We're like connected partners.

"He's still not around, Delibird. He's probably late." I said. Delibird lowered his head in sadness. Then... I heard a familiar sound.

Jingle bells. And the sound of Stantler footsteps. I looked up at the sky. There were a group of Stantler, one with a red nose, flying in the sky. A red sleigh attached some leashes to them. And then this sound was heard:

"Ho ho ho!"

"He's here! SANTA IS HERE!" Delibird screamed excitedly.

"Hey! Over here!" Charmeleon shouted while waving his hand up in the air. I also called for his name, doing the same thing Charmeleon is doing. Reason is because we hope Santa will notice us. The sleigh came down near the gateway to the city.

The Stantler land on the ground, and the sleigh does too. Santa climbs down it, his feet on the ground. All of us run up to him. Even the others back there who are still playing.

"Santa! You came!" Delibird yelled happily.

"I was wondering where you were. Let's make sure to never separate during our trips again." Santa said.

I just waved at him. I knew Santa cannot understand me through talking, and that goes for all Pokémon unless the trainer was like... an expert or something like that.

"I think I know where your trainers are at this moment. I have a little something to give to them." Santa replied.

* * *

 **-Nifty's POV-**

"Then the Grunt tried to take Togepi when she was still in the egg! I slapped the Grunt across the face and told him to back the hell off!" I explained a small story. While dinner was still cooking, I was telling some stories about different things. Even current stuff right now.

"You didn't cause too much damage... right?" Tess asked.

"No. I don't go too far. That's the farthest I go up to." I replied. And then we heard a knock at the door.

"Eh. I'll get it. Got nothing better to do anyway." I said with a shrug.

"Maybe it's someone important." Sonic suggested. And he follows me to see who it is.

When I open the door, I saw Frogadier and Quilladin.

"Guys? Is this a joke, or... did something terrible happen?" I asked.

"Dier." Frogadier croaked. He moves out of the way, and Quilladin does too. Then someone came to us, leaving both Sonic and I surprised. That red outfit... that white beard... the huge sleigh and sack full of presents...

"SANTA?!" Both of us screamed. I can tell Jake and Tess we're surprised as well, so they ran over to us once they heard our scream.

"Your Pokémon here helped me find my Delibird, and I thank them for that. I realize that these Pokémon here belong to you... Nifty Weaka and Sonic Harknah." Santa explained.

"Wow. Our own Pokémon helped out." Sonic said with a smile.

"You know... I do wait until Christmas Day, but... I'm going to give you two an early gift." Santa said. He pulls out a small present. When he opened it, there were two objects. Both of them were spheres. One was blue with a black diamond inside, and the other was orange with a red diamond inside.

"Choose wisely." Santa warned.

"Which one do you want to pick, Nifty?" Sonic asked me.

"I'm gonna go for the orange one. Orange is my second favorite color." I replied.

"Okay then. I'll pick the blue one." Sonic said. And we take our respective stones of our choice.

"You two be good for the rest of this year, alright? I'll see you two maybe... in the morning of Christmas." Santa said. He walks back to the sleigh, and the Delibird hops on. Once Santa was on, the whips the leash lightly, and the Stantler fly away. I hear these last words from him as Sonic and I look up at the sky.

"Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!"

And I smiled. A big memory begins to play in my head.

* * *

 **-Nifty 6 years old POV-**

I was visiting someone today. Or rather... mom and dad were. They told me that some of their work connects with these two people. More arch...ae... dang it, I still cannot remember the word. It is too complicated!

Turns out once we went inside... it was a laboratory.

"Hey, Nifty! These friends we have also have a kid around your age. You two could be great friends!" Mom said happily.

"Really? Well... I guess so. I've never been here before." I replied.

"You weren't born by the time we were visiting here from time to time." Dad said with a chuckle.

While waiting, two people came. The first was a girl with long, blue hair. She wore glasses and a white dress, along with gray pants and white shoes. The second person was a man with black hair. He also wore glasses, and a white lab coat. He wore white pants and black shoes.

So I can obviously tell: these two aren't archeapathathathatha or what ever the heck they were called. They are... scientists.

And someone else ran down to see them. They were right, this kid is around my age. He had blue hair, and he wore a red shirt, black pants and orange shoes.

"Okay, now... why don't you kids go play with each other? We have some work to do. It's... very busy." Mom suggested. I nodded, and I look at the kid. He motions me to come with him. I followed him.

He leads me to what I assume is his room. It was small, but has a couple posters of movie characters.

"So, um... you're the archeologists kid. Right?" The new kid asked me.

"Yes I am." I replied.

"I should introduce myself. I'm Sonic Harknah. Very well known since my name is based off a video game character." The kid said.

"Well, it is nice to meet you, Sonic. My name is Nifty." I said, introducing myself.

"Were you born with that hair color?" Sonic asked.

"Yes actually. Pretty rare to see a person with lava styled hair, huh?" I said with a smirk.

"My hair is natural as well. I guess we have something in common." Sonic responded.

"You know? I bet we will become great friends." I said with a huge grin on my face.

* * *

 **-Nifty's POV-**

I remember that day like it was yesterday. The greatest day of all, when I met Sonic for the first time ever. Sonic had that same sympathetic look. He must've had the same memory as I did.

"If only our parents came. We would've had a great time with them hanging out with us." Sonic said.

"Same, dude. I wish it as well." I replied. And somehow... I felt something wet in the corner of my eyes. Sonic had a couple tears as well. I knew what was in my eyes as well.

Sonic looked at me.

"Was that a tear in you eyes, Nifty?" He asked. That response made me shake my head frantically to get them away. I looked at Sonic with a scowling look.

"N-No, shut up." I almost didn't notice myself stutter like that. I'm not the kind of person who usually stutters. That came as a surprise to me.

"That's just one thing we know. We'll go after Team Eclipse..." Sonic started.

"Save our parents, and save the world from their evil plans." I finished his sentence. We shake hands like the true pals we are.

"We're a team, and we are in this together." I responded with a smirk. Sonic smiled back.

"Okay, everyone! Dinner is ready! Come help yourselves!" Chloe called from inside.

"That's our cue. We eat, and then we should start battling for the gym." Sonic suggested.

"Our plan is complete." I replied.

What a great time. I'll have to add Tess to our Brick Bronze group when I show everyone my plans as our own little army against Team Eclipse.

For now, friendship and family will always triumph forth.

* * *

 **A/N: Yaaaay, I finally did it! New chapter is here :D! I'll see every single one of you next time, when the action comes back in the Rosecove City Gym. Have a wonderful day, and Merry Christmas! ;)**


	12. The Battle That Will Wash Away

**Alrighty. Next chapter is finally here! I'm glad there's you people who like my story, and I will make sure to make this story productive and update it as much as I can ;).**

 **But I will start this chapter right here. Enjoy! :D**

 **P.S.: I know Tess's grandpa gives a Protector after you win against Gabe, but I didn't put that there because you would think Nifty will fully evolve one of his Pokémon.**

 **Mind you: He kept it that way because he WANTED TO.**

 **Okay, NOW enjoy. XD**

* * *

It was after the party. We sure had a lot of fun, and seeing a surprise guest sure did affect me a lot. I take my attention to the gateway to Route 9, where Jake and Tess were standing.

Jake was talking about random stuff. Tess just listened with a couple of mixed emotions: amuse, confusion, and a bit of happiness since some of the random words Jake was saying sometimes didn't make complete sense to Tess.

"Alright. So... I guess this is something that's happening." I said with a smirk.

"Oh good, it's you two," Tess said, "Does Jake always talk a lot? Up at my grandpa's, he hardly talked. But now I can't get him to shut up."

"Yeah. He was like that when both Nifty and I first met him." Sonic replied.

"He also said he single-handedly took on Team Eclipse at Mt Igneus and saved Brimber City. You three are quite the heroes." Tess said with a smile.

"Between you and me... it was just Sonic and I who saved the city. Jake didn't come." I whispered. And Tess got surprised by my talk.

"Wait. So then did he...?" She asked.

"Just play along. You don't want to hurt his feelings. Last time I did that, he cried for a whole week, his parents wouldn't even let me come _close_ to him." I explained. Tess let out a small giggle from that, but she compiled and nodded in understanding.

That memory I explained... it's so dang true.

"Oh, hey Nifty. And Sonic. You two still need to get the badge, right?" Jake asked.

"It's gonna take a while for BOTH of us. So imma hook up a hotel room for us at the Pokémon Center once one of us are done." I explained. Jake nods.

And now since that mini conversation is over... Sonic and I walked to the gym. It's blue on the outside, like the Silvent City Gym was.

"Well... third gym. We're getting pretty far." Sonic said.

"Hey, Sonic. Tell me... both of us are good at making strategies, you know?" I started.

"It's true. Most of the battles that we have been through we won," Sonic complimented, "And plus. The reason why you make good strategies is because you're so smart and have careful planning."

"That's my point, Sonic. The question is... why are _you_ good at making strategies?" I asked.

"It's just from one memory, actually." Sonic replied.

* * *

 **-Sonic 6 years old POV-**

I watched from the entrance to my house. I slightly opened the door to peek what was happening. The archaeologists and their new kid were leaving. I kept on looking until they all went in the car and drove away from my home. This Nifty person... seems really cool. About what he said about us being friends... it is very possible.

 _*an hour later...*_

I was laying down on my bed, a tiny bit bored. I began to hear some clashing outside. I recognized that clashing from almost any weekend.

I looked out my window, there was a Pokémon battlefield. My dad was there, along with his three main Pokémon: Lucario, Talonflame and Ampharos.

I had a big smile on my face. I ran away from my window and downstairs, until eventually I am outside to where the event was happening right now.

"Daddy!" I yelled as I ran over to him.

"My son. It's good to see you right now. I'm just training my Pokémon for some more analysis on their strength." Dad said.

"Can I train with you?" I asked. My dad showed a warm smile.

"Why, of course you can. Lucario, my child wants to help with training. Stay on his side." He explained. Lucario grunts and nods. He walked over to me, a determined smile. Something like this was a rare occasion. Usually, people don't truly own Pokémon until they're 10 years old.

And yes, they're my dad's Pokémon, but they like me a lot as well. They're like... other friends of my own team.

"Let the training continue! Ampharos, use Thunder Punch! Talonflame, use Flame Charge!"

And his Pokémon began to attack.

"Lucario! Dodge it, and then use Aura Sphere!" I shouted.

When the attacks got close enough, Lucario dodges them both and prepares his own attack. A blue orb made from the aura inside of him. He shot the orb, but Ampharos and Talonflame dodged it without a command.

"Impressive. Their speed and endurance are getting better by the minute!" Dad exclaimed.

"That's awesome! Let's keep going and see what will be the results!" I said happily.

* * *

 **-Nifty's POV-**

"Wow! So you... kinda had a team when you were little? I never knew that!" I exclaimed as Sonic finished telling me the story.

"Yeah. They were my dad's Pokémon. They were what kept me up to becoming a trainer each day." Sonic replied.

"Well, now your cool friend here will get to show you more strategies... if you know what I mean." I said with a smile and a wink.

"Heh heh... well. Let's see how you do in the gym." Sonic insisted.

"And indeed we will." I responded.

* * *

We entered the gym.

"Welcome to the Rosecove City Gym!" The gym instructor greeted. Why the hell do these guys look the same? I'm just kinda confused.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." I said.

"The goal here is to arrange pipe blocks to allow water to flow from the faucets to the small generators."

"So that's all?"

"Each time you solve a pipe puzzle, it will power on the water control chambers' doors to release enough water to allow you to keep moving through the gym."

"Heh. That doesn't sound too bad. I'm not a fan of puzzles in general, but it's worth a shot." I said.

"So what do we have to do exactly?" Sonic asked the gym instructor.

"To move the blocks, you must step on the metal control platforms. Find a certain button and tap on it to test the water flow once you think you've got it." He explained. And he gave us a quick "good luck" as his last words before we kept on walking.

Like I explained, puzzles are NOT things I like. But some are decent. I stepped on the metal platform. And what came in front of me was a digital pad. It's the exact same puzzle, but on a screen. The gray ones are ones I can't move. Blue ones I can move. This puzzle seemed easy.

It took me a few seconds for me to get a certain pattern going.

"Sonic? Can you turn the faucet for me so we can test the thing?" I asked.

"Sure thing!" Sonic replied. He reaches over to the faucet and turns it. Water flows from the pipes I moved. The pad goes back into the ground. I look in front of me to see water rising up, and a wooden bridge was there.

But there was also a man standing on a crate.

That was a sign I needed to battle him. As Sonic and I walk on the wooden bridge, the guy notices me.

"Hey, I see you figured out the first pipeworks puzzle. Good job. Now let's see if you can beat the first gym trainer." He said.

"I bet I will." I said with a smirk.

* * *

Oh yeah. This guy is gonna ask for a lot. Trust me.

"Tentacool, go!" He yelled. Please. I've seen a lot of those things... possibly. They're very common in oceans.

"Well then, let's try some believing. Charmeleon, show him!" I shouted. As Charmeleon is sent out, Sonic got a bit worried for me.

"But Charmeleon has a disadvantage! Are you sure you can do it?" My friend asked me.

"Of course. Remember, type advantages are one thing. Believing is another." I replied.

"Well now... Charmeleon, use Dragon Rage!" I commanded. And when the move lands, it almost took Tentacool down. This is gonna go well.

"Acid Spray, let's go!"

And Tentacool shot poisonous acid.

"Quickly, block it with Flame Burst!" I yelled. And that sure did something. Somehow, the Flame Burst overpowered the acid, and Tentacool is down!

Wow. I look at Charmeleon with a surprised look on my face. He looks at me and pumps his fist.

"Let's keep battling then." I said, smiling widely.

"Horsea, you're up!"

Simple Water type. Yep, DEFINITELY got this.

"Charmeleon! Metal Claw!" I shouted. And he slashes Horsea with his claws, covered in metallic gray.

"Twister!"

"Block it with Dragon Rage!" I exclaimed.

And once again, Charmeleon overpowers the other attack.

"And now I have one more. Tentacruel!" My opponent yelled, and his last Pokémon was sent out.

"Okay then... Flame Burst!" I demanded.

"Acid Spray!"

And it was just like before. But unfortunately, this time... acid does enough to defeat the flame. Charmeleon was lying on the floor, recovering from the attack.

"Hang in there, Charmeleon! Don't give up, use Metal Claw!" I screamed. Tentacruel prepares itself.

"EON!" The Fire lizard screeches as he jumps up to attack. And then he started glowing, completely surprising everyone around here from a 50 mile radius.

What I saw after the glowing made me so happy. Now he is much bigger, and orange again. He has 2 horns instead of one, and he grew freaking _wings._

Charmeleon evolved into Charizard.

The immense great strength of my newly evolved Charizard sent Tentacruel flying to a wall.

"Don't give in! Tentacruel, Bubble Beam!"

I quickly looked at my Pokédex. And Charizard learned a new move. I grinned.

"Charizard! Fly up, then use Wing Attack!" I yelled. Charizard roars, and he does as I say.

His power is so freaking _brutal_. Tentacruel was down thanks to that.

"You really _are_ smart!"

That is... definitely true. I mean, like I said, Sonic and I know a lot about Pokémon. It asked sense that battling is one of those strengths.

* * *

I felt accomplished by that one compliment.

"Oh my gosh! When Charmeleon became Charizard, that was SO epic!" Sonic shouted.

"Heh, I know. Now let me see how many more puzzles it'll take to do this." I replied. And the second puzzle is right in front of us once we crossed the bridge. It seemed... tougher.

The pad appears once I stepped on the platform, and yep. It's definitely more tricky. I took some time to mess around with the tiles. After some time, it didn't work out. So... I tried another strategy.

And that next plan worked. Very well.

"Perfect! Aight Sonic, it's your cue!" I called out. Sonic nodded, and he turns the faucet. The water flows perfectly. The water rises up in front of us. Another bridge was there, along with another guy, but more muscular.

Of course, he sees us once we cross.

"My friends and I are going to hang out on the beach later. I must first take care of my duties as a gym trainer and test trainers' strength before they can battle our gym's leader." He explained.

"Okay then. I'll make it quick." I said.

* * *

Truth is, I'm not really sure HOW long this is gonna take. It could be a pretty easy battle... or be the hardest freaking thing ever. Which won't happen since battles with these kind of trainers are... pretty easy.

"Okay, Wailmer... you're up first!" The muscular man yelled, sending out his first Pokémon. Okay, here goes nothin'.

"Go Frogadier!" I shouted, and I send out my first Pokémon.

"Now, make it quick! Use Grass Knot!" I yelled. Frogadier's hand turns green, and some grass forms a bit. Since Wailmer is pretty slow, AND Frogadier is so freaking fast, the move landed. Grass Knot is a pretty helpful move. Yes, it's a type advantage, but it does more damage on heavier Pokémon.

This is why I like being in school.

"Woo! You are pretty good!" My opponent complimented.

"Hey, speed is one thing that puts me at an advantage." I said with a shrug.

"Anyway, with that being said... go Mantine!"

Hmm... so it's only weak to Electric. Unfortunately, I don't have anything on that. But I _do_ have something else to put me at ease.

"Frogadier, return..." I started, and then return my starter, then I pull out another Poke Ball. "And go Nidorino!"

He'll have the attack in order to take Mantine down.

"Nidorino, use Horn Attack!" I yelled. And the vicious horn stabs right at Mantine. Most damage taken already.

"Mantine, Headbutt!"

And it rams right into Nidorino. I smirked since I knew it was time.

"Nidorino, here! The Moon Stone!" I called out, and I quickly grabbed my Moon Stone and threw it at Nidorino. He touches it, and started glowing. Evolution can make things better. That's one thing I knew.

And now... Nidorino evolved into Nidoking.

"Ha! Yes, an advantage! Mantine, Water Pulse!" The man yelled. And the watery orb was being made.

"Nidoking! Quick, use Poison Sting!" I exclaimed. The Needle was sharper than usual, so it cut the Water Pulse in half, surprising everyone. Yeah, I know that Nidoking gains another type, being Ground. And that is weak to Water. But hey, at least my plan worked. Either that, or they're just... not good.

"And now use Thrash!" I shouted.

Nidoking runs up to Mantine and starts continuously thrashing it. So much damage on that one part. It was a perfect KO.

"Well, maybe I can sneak off to the beach now..." The muscular man mumbled.

"Hey. You realize I'm still here, right?" I blurted out.

"Nido." Nidoking growled in agreement. I just sighed with a smirk on my face and returned Nidoking to his Poke Ball.

* * *

Surprisingly, there was only one more puzzle left. I once again step on the next metal platform. Usually, the last puzzle might be the hardest, at least in my opinion. But this puzzle... doesn't seem that difficult.

It took a couple minutes of thinking and testing... mentally. I finally got the pattern, and so I made that set pattern get accepted. The faucet it turned, and water rises up. This time, a long bridge was made. And _two_ trainers were on it.

"They're really going all out with this." I thought. But hey, who was I to blame? 'Kay, anyway... as Sonic and I walk on the bridge, a girl in a blue bikini looks at us. What the hell, why are you showing skin? Ugh, whatever...

"You really are the puzzle master. Now let's see if you have what it takes to be a Pokémon master." She said.

"For your information, catching every Pokémon ain't my dream. But becoming a strong person... that is a definite yes." I replied.

* * *

Welp... battle time.

"Go Wartortle!"

Ooh, a Kanto starter! I like where this is heading. I smirked. Of course I'd give my other Pokémon a chance for some battling.

"Tyrunt, I choose you!" I shouted, and I sent out my first Pokémon. The Water type moves would just do normal damage instead of double the amount with super effectiveness.

"Okay, Tyrunt! Start with Ancient Power!" I demanded. Old, fossilized rocks formed, surrounded in dark energy. When the attack landed, it did an okay amount of damage. I... kinda expected it to do more. But whatever, I still have another plan.

"Wartortle, use Rapid Spin!" The bikini girl yelled. Wartortle went inside its shell, and hen started spinning g quickly. Tyrunt took the hit since he's a Rock and Dragon type.

"Tyrunt! Dragon Tail!" The glowing tail from my ancient dinosaur Pokémon knocks Wartortle back. Usually, Dragon Tail makes the opponent force to switch out Pokémon. Not in this dang case.

"Heh... now use Stomp." I said with a smirk. And one tough move like that took him down. That was fast. But the girl still has a couple more Pokémon.

"And now... your turn, Prinplup!" She yelled, and sent out her second Pokémon. Another starter. I guess this girl talked with Cypress's assistant and got another starter. Either that or I just don't freaking care that much.

"You still okay to fight, Tyrunt!" I asked the fossil recreation.

"Runt!" The dino yelped with a big smile. I smiled back. There was no way I will give up that easily.

"Great! Then use Crunch!" I commanded. Tyrunt opens his big jaws. Energy seethed through them.

"Prinplup! Absorb it with Bide!" The beach lady yelled. And so... the attack doesn't do _that_ much when it landed. I thought for a moment. Once the absorbing is done, then the opponent unleashes them back with double power whenever Tyrunt hits them. What can I do...?

"Ah-ha! I got it!" I shouted as I snapped my fingers.

"What's your plan, Nifty?" Sonic asked. Togepi tried to mimic what my friend said. My reply was just a thumbs up.

"Tyrunt. Ancient Power. Then quickly use Stomp." I explained. Tyrunt nods, and does so. Once the rocks land on that one occasion, Tyrunt runs up and stomps Prinplup with all his energy.

"Unleash the power!"

Crap. That's my cue. A white beam was shot right at the fossil.

"MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" I screamed. At just the right time, Tyrunt jumps out of the way. The same jump was similar to what I saw when training him.

"Yes! NOW CRUNCH THAT BAD BOY!" I bellowed. I felt so excited, I could feel my blood pumping from inside. The crunch lands. Prinplup is down. The bikini lady only has one more Pokémon with her.

"Go Marshtomp!"

Three starters. No Electric moves will work here. But I knew just who to send out.

"Okay Tyrunt. Get some rest for now. You did great." I said. Tyrunt lets out a small roar before returned to his Poke Ball.

"Alright, Frogadier... let's go!" I shouted. For some reason, I can feel some insane amount of energy inside of me and him. But why?

"Frogadier, use Grass Knot!" I yelled.

"Block with with Rock Slide!"

Giant rocks were falling down. Frogadier oughta get crushed if not fast enough. But I know his speed. That's how he wins battles.

"Use Quick Attack and dodge all of them!" I exclaimed. And... why the heck am I not surprised. He even lands the Grass Knot after all that!

Marshtomp fainted in one hit. I mean... surely a huge type advantage since Marshtomp is a Water AND Ground type. With his only weakness being grass... I see why.

"Wow! Great job! I totally did not expect that!" I shouted in a surprised tone.

"Beating me doesn't make you a Pokémon master, unfortunately." The girl said.

"And beating _me_ doesn't make it seem like you accomplish stuff easily." I said back in the most sassy way possible. Yeah, I will admit. I am a smack talker. Like I mentioned before... if anyone pisses me off... I'll freaking threaten them so hard, they'll be afraid of me.

"Dier!" Frogadier exclaimed proudly. And then he started glowing, leaving us all surprised. Oh my Arceus. This is the moment.

Frogadier grew much taller in size, and became a navy blue color. He now has pink eyes, and his ears are much pointier. He even has some tan parts on his skin to go along with the navy blue. And long gone are the frubbles... he grew a scarf. Actually, no. It's not a scarf. It's his freaking tongue that grew way longer.

Frogadier evolved into Greninja.

"Aw hell yeah! Now we're gonna get through this faster!" I cheered.

"Yay Nifty! Another evolution, another cheering!" Sonic cheers along with me. Togepi came along for the ride. Greninja also seemed happy.

* * *

There is only one more trainer on this bridge before I can finally start battling the Gym Leader. As Sonic and I walk on the bridge some more, the beach bum notices us.

"People give us beach bums a hard time because of our title. They assume we are all lazy. I can assure you we are quite the opposite. All that swimming and lying around in the sun is hard work too, you know..." He explained.

"How about we see in a battle?" I asked. No response. Great. FREAKING GREAT.

* * *

Okay. Last trainer battle.

"Okay! Lapras, go!" The bum yelled, and he sent out his only Pokémon. I've seen disappointing Pokémon as a trainer's only one. Like Zubat. And that gets me a bit aggravated.

But Lapras... boy, I knew this is gonna be a good battle.

"Okay... Charizard, it's up to you!" I shouted, and sent out my first Pokémon. Yeah, I knew Charizard had a disadvantage. But Lapras is a Water and Ice type. Fire attacks will do normal damage. But it's the strength that I have hope in.

"Why not make the first move, buddy? Use Flame Burst!"

And an immediate flame attack was shot. Lapras took the hit. It seemed alright. But I did notice a tiny flinch from when the hit landed.

"Rain Dance."

Wow! That's... honestly a good strategy. Rain was pouring from the battlefield. Sonic backed away a bit so the rain doesn't affect him too much. But Togepi felt really scared, so Sonic returns her to her Poke Ball.

I mean, Togepi was inside the house when Kyogre was summoned by Team Eclipse. I can see why she felt scared now.

"Okay then... now, Charizard, use Wing Attack!" I yelled. And Charizard flies up to Lapras and slaps 'em with those huge wings. Dang, that's one bulky Lapras.

"Lapras, use Water Pulse!"

But as it got closer, Charizard flies out of the way, and a roar followed afterwards. I checked my Pokédex. Holy crap, he learned a new move. This will make things a bit easier.

"Charizard... heh, use Dragon Claw." I said, a wide smirk on my face. Charizard's claws turn a dark purple. And he roughly slashes Lapras. It took the hit, but it tried to dodge. Much more damage than usual. Now _that's_ what I'm talking about.

"Lapras! Use Body Slam!"

Lapras leaps high into the air. Then comes down at Charizard at immense speed.

"Quick! Use Wing Attack and block it!" I exclaimed. And Charizard attempts to push back the attack with his wings. It was a rough battle as the both of them were using their energy to prevail over the other.

But Charizard knocks Lapras back.

"NOW USE DRAGON RAGE!" I screeched. And the attack lands. Lapras is almost down. And the rain stopped as well.

"Gah! Lapras! Use Water Pulse!" The bum shouted, a little worried. Another Water attack? Man, I thought he hasn't learned.

"Charizard, dodge it, then use Flame Burst!" I yelled. Charizard sidesteps out of the way. And then he shot a massive flame.

"Lapras, quick! Dodge it!"

Too late. Lapras got hit, and it's down. Charizard, feeling proud of itself, roared loudly, and it was being heard throughout the Gym.

I'm just happy the bridge didn't collapse...

"Is there not another name we can go by?" The guy asked innocently.

"How about... I dunno, 'Awesome Battle'." I said with a shrug.

* * *

Here we go. The Gym Leader is right in front of us. He wore a brown hat and a gray bandanna that overs his mouth. He has a green shirt, along with gray pants and black shoes.

"Hello, young trainers. I am Quentin, leader of the Rosecove City Gym." He greeted.

"Wazzup." I greeted with a wink and a big smile. Sonic chuckled at my words.

"You two must be the ones that ran Team Eclipse out of town." Quentin complimented. That got both of us surprised, almost making me want to scream. It was just like with Chloe.

"How did-" I started.

"Word spreads fast around this town." Quentin interrupted me. Could people just let me finish my sentence?! Man, something is wrong with our society nowadays...

"I'm sure you two are here now to test your strength and earn a badge." Quentin reminded.

"That's exactly why we're here." Sonic replied.

"I must warn you two, my specialty is Water type Pokémon." Quentin warned.

"Well, I'm your first challenger. And I have the idea of how to counter those types." I said.

"Heh, Water type Pokémon are said to be some of the oldest living species on the planet. They've had millions of years to evolve into battling machines." Quentin explained.

"Exactly. Relicanth is an ancient Water type Pokémon," I said, "Though they might be rare to find as of today's standards, there's some proof that there could still be some that are in the deepest parts of the ocean right now."

"Woah! Look at you! You must be really paying attention in school." Quentin exclaimed.

"I like it there. That's why I know so much. Same with my friend here." I replied.

"Anyway... you two must be strong to have beaten all of those Team Eclipse members, but are you strong enough to take on the Rosecove City Gym Leader?" Quentin challenged.

"I assure you that my strength is way bigger than you can imagine. It'll carry on the farther I will go." I explained.

"Let's find out now, shall we?" Quentin asked.

"Indeed we will." I responded.

* * *

As much as I felt like I would enjoy this... Quentin seems mysterious. I guess he also must've looked out to see us battle those Team Eclipse people.

The battlefield was large. It was also surrounded in water with only a couple platforms available for landing.

"Okay, quick rule description, everyone," The referee yelled, who was a different beach bum, "Three Pokémon are used here. Battle's over when one side has all of their Pokémon fainted! Only the challenger substitutes! You may begin!"

"Okay, Wailmer... come out and show off our own Water type history." Quentin said smugly as he sent out his first Pokémon. It landed in the water with a huge splash.

"Guess I'll send out another Water type if I want to win this fight." I mumbled.

"Hey Nifty!" Someone called out. I turned to the blue bleachers. Not only did I see Sonic, but Jake and Tess were there as well. And that was Jake that called out my name.

"We'll be right there with you, Nifty!" Tess cheered. I smirked and gave a small "thank you". This battle will be tough. But let's see how this goes.

"Greninja, show yer stuff!" I shouted, and sent out my first Pokémon. Greninja landed on one of the small platforms. And plus, Grass Knot is a good move, especially considering a... heavy opponent. But this battle can go either way.

"Alright, Greninja! Use Grass Knot!" I demanded. One of Greninja's hands turned a bright green while some grass formed.

"Wailmer, dive." Quentin said calmly. And Wailmer dives underwater, avoiding the attack.

"And now use Brine." Quentin continued. And a large stream of water was unleashed from underneath, startling Greninja when he came in contact with the attack.

"Holy crap!" I yelled.

"Told you they have a wide array of how they attack." Quentin reminded me.

"That is true," I said with a smirk, "But I'll have you know that from what I've studied, Greninja is one of the fastest known Pokémon, and those do NOT include legendaries. So I'd suggest you beware for my strategies. Because when it comes to planning, I have a lot on my mind."

"Wow! Nifty is so smart! I can't believe he just flat out shouted a fact like that! And in front of us, too!" Tess shouted in surprise.

"He was always smart. Nifty and I are smart students in our Pokémon school when we were little." Sonic said. And Togepi giggled as an agreement, even though she never seen hat in her life. Then again, she recently hatched.

"You're... very cute, Tess." Jake mumbled.

"What was that?" Tess asked. Jake's cheeks flushed a bright red as a huge surprised look was on his face.

"U-Uh... I said, uh... You might be very happy seeing this when I'm not even here, Aw shoot!" Jake said rapidly fast that it was almost too difficult to comprehend. Sonic just laughed lightly at that.

"I'm glad Nifty knows what he's doing. He defeated Team Eclipse, I'm sure he can do this." Tess said with a smile. And now back to my battle.

"Wailmer, use Scald!" Quentin commanded. A line of hot water was shot from Wailmer's mouth.

"Greninja, hop to the other platform!" I yelled. And Greninja does it with ease.

"Hah, great job! Now use Water Shuriken!" Greninja created a few ninja stars made of compressed water. And one by one, he threw each of them at Wailmer. It did nothing, but I knew it was perfect for a distraction.

"And Quick Attack! Go!" My voice was filled with lots of determination as I shouted it. Greninja rams right into Wailmer. More damage then last attack. But it wasn't enough just yet.

"Alright, Wailmer. Use Rollout!" Quentin exclaimed. I don't exactly know how Wailmer can learn Rollout... but, I guess it... _kinda_ makes sense.

"Greninja, use Water Shuriken and block it!" I yelled. This time, instead of throwing the water-made ninja stars, Greninja uses them as a defense tactic. The rolling was fast, it was almost too difficult to see _how_ freaking fast it is.

I peeked to see that the rolling was beginning to cut through the water.

"Greninja, back-up plan! Go underneath!" I shouted. Just as the Rollout got through, Greninja dives underwater, avoiding the attack.

I smirked. No one had a clue on where he went. Not even Quentin. Even if he did see a little shadow... heh, it wouldn't appear for too long. Speed, ya fools.

"What? Where did he go? It should be easy to see him from this angle." Quentin groaned.

"Grass Knot, now!" I screamed. Greninja jumps out of the water and attacks Wailmer from behind with the grassy move.

Bam. Wailmer is down.

"Wailmer is unable to battle! Greninja wins!"

Yeah. I have a feeling the referee MIGHT be forced to say that. But it's not like I'd go out and rub it in. I'm not _that_ rude.

"Hm. Very amazing. You actually _do_ know your stuff, don't you?" Quentin asked.

"Yep. Without a doubt." I replied.

"But this challenge is just the beginning, mind you. Gorebyss, you're next." Quentin sends out his next Pokémon.

"Alright, Greninja, return. Save up some energy for later on in the fight." I said, and return my start to his Poke Ball. But still, for some reason, I am feeling a high amount of energy between the both of us.

But why...?

"Charizard, go!" I yelled, and my _other_ starter was sent out.

"What?! Charizard? But... doesn't he have a disadvantage against Water types?" Tess exclaimed.

"There's a reason, Tess. Nifty believes in himself. Even when he doesn't have the upper hand, he'll still be able to win a tough battle." Sonic explained.

But I can appreciate Tess's concern. There is _one_ disadvantage in mind. If Charizard ends up falling in the water... we're done. It's gonna be over like that.

"Gorebyss, use Scald!" Quentin shouted. And hot water was coming forward.

"Charizard! Dodge it, then use Wing Attack!" I demanded. He flies out of the way, and his wings glow. Then he flies straight at Gorebyss.

But the pink fish dives down in order to avoid, making Charizard fly back up to avoid touching the water.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing when it comes to this?" Quentin asked.

"Heck yeah. I won't stop until I achieve this." I replied.

"Then try and counter _this_. Gorebyss, use Psychic." Quentin said with a smirk.

I freaking knew it. He was gonna challenge me. Gorebyss's eyes glow bright, and Charizard was being levitated in Gorebyss's direction. And now he was being thrown down.

"FLY!" I screamed. For some reason, Charizard got out of Gorebyss's control, and now flying freely.

"What?! How is that possible?" Quentin exclaimed.

"Because we believe. For some reason, we are very strong mentally. I don't know how, but it works." I said.

"I must say, you're an impressive trainer. Probably one of the best battles I have gone through in a long time." Quentin complimented.

"Why, thank you!" I said with a smile.

"I guess that's no difference, coming from a long time fan of Team Valor."

"How did you-"

"I told you. Word spreads around fast." Quentin interrupted me. Okay, that has to stop. The fact that people interrupt me from finishing my sentence _really_ pisses me off.

But he's a Gym Leader, so I'll give that an exception.

"Alright, anyway... Charizard, use Dragon Claw!" I yelled. Charizard's claws were now purple. With enough flying speed, he slashed right at Gorebyss.

Wow. And I thought I had enough. That was a lot.

"Gorebyss! Scald!" Quentin shouted. Another Water attack. At least Charizard can't get burned since he's a Fire type.

"Keep dodging!" I exclaimed. As Gorebyss kept firing, Charizard kept on dodging. After that was done, Charizard landed on one of the platforms and roared loudly.

I got into a thinking pose. I tried to think of the strategy I would use when Gorebyss prepares its next attack.

"Draining Kiss."

Yep, that's Quentin's voice. Gorebyss leaped out of the water, jumping towards Charizard.

"Don't let it get to you, buddy! Dragon Claw one more time!" I shrieked. And Charizard barely gets out of the way. From behind, he slashes Gorebyss with the claws.

As much as I would expect right down, Charizard launched Gorebyss in the air.

"Woah! Nice one! Now finish it with Flame Burst!" I yelled. And Charizard shot out a flame ball, and it exploded when in contact with the fish.

Gorebyss landed in the water again, but it fainted. Thanks to the Flame Burst.

"Gorebyss is unable to battle! Charizard wins!"

I wasn't surprised but the result, but I wasn't negative about it either. I knew I had a chance.

"D... Did I see what I just _think_ I just saw?!" Tess shouted. Her voice was in utter surprise.

"See? Nifty knows what he's doing." Sonic said, and Togepi babbles as an agreement.

"Well... he sure is confident." Tess complimented.

"He only needs to defeat one more Pokémon! Come on, Nifty! You can do it!" Jake cheered.

"This last battle will decide the end. Huntail... let's go." Quentin said, and his last Pokémon is out. I decided to keep in Charizard. As much as I would like to use my others, I'm afraid their weight would make the platforms sink.

And yeah, I know I have Tyrunt, but... ugh, you get what I mean.

"Okay, here goes... Charizard! Wing Attack!" I commanded. But unlike the last charge approach, it was slow again.

But Huntail just swam out of the way. No duh, it's a Water type.

"Scald!"

Really? Well, I have a feeling that might be one of those TM rewards. Like with Overheat.

Still, I can't get over the fact Overheat did SO much damage on Greninja, when he was still Frogadier.

But Charizard dodges the attack without my permission. Then another one comes in just a split second...

and now Charizard is descending.

"CHARIZARD, RETURN!" I screeched, quickly pulling out my Poke Ball and returning Charizard before he fell in the water.

"Looks like the challenger is substituting. What will happen next?" The referee asked the audience.

"That was fast!" Jake exclaimed.

"Yeah, but he still has Greninja. So Nifty has a chance." Tess responded.

Heh, she predicted it. I smirked.

"Okay, Greninja! Make us proud!" I shouted, and I sent my starter back out.

"Interesting indeed, Nifty. You got guts." Quentin said.

"Let's focus now, shall we? Greninja, use Water Shuriken!" I yelled. And water stars were thrown. Huntail took the hits.

Okay, I'll admit. Might've been a rough start. But nothing a little catch up couldn't handle.

"Huntail! Launch yourself, and use Ice Fang!" Quentin shouted. Huntail's teeth turned a bright, icy blue.

"Grass Knot!" I yelled back. And they both collide with their attacks.

Eventually, after so much strength the both of them used, they backed away since none of them got the upper hand.

"Okay, let's change some things around. Quick Attack!" I exclaimed. And he rams right into Huntail. Geez, that was fast!

"Wow. He's getting faster." Quentin reminded. Wait, seriously? I feel my heart beating faster as well. Why is it doing that? What could it be for?

"Okay, enough about that. Water Pulse!" I shouted. And Greninja shoots another powerful Water attack.

"Dodge it, then use Ice Fang!" Quentin yelled. Huntail dodges. And then without warning, bites Greninja with the icy attack.

And it ended up freezing him, and the audience gasped.

"Try it. Let's see what happens." Quentin said. I started daydreaming. My heart was beating even _more_ faster. Holy crap.

"Oh gosh. This looks like it's not gonna be good." Jake said in surprise.

"I don't know what to say. I'm a little nervous to look." Tess said anxiously.

"Come on, Nifty. Do something." Sonic said, concerned. Togepi whimpers.

I kept on thinking. My heart keeps beating. Crap, crap, crap, crap. What's gonna happen. This... is a bit unexpected.

"Nin... JA!" Greninja broke out of the ice, and then slashed Huntail with a dark scratch.

"Huh? Seriously?!" Quentin yelled. That move... that was Night Slash.

"Heh... how's that for trying?" I asked. Smirk was wide.

"Oh my Arceus! That was incredible!" Tess yelled.

"I knew Nifty had a chance!" Jake screamed.

"Same. Of course he would." Sonic sighed happily.

"I won't let you get any farther. Huntail, use Crunch!" Quentin shouted angrily.

"Greninja! Down, now!" I shouted. I knew a little plan. A plan that... a Water type can do.

Greninja is now underwater. Huntail was as well, searching for Greninja.

"What in the world?" Quentin exclaimed.

For some reason, I felt like... I am seeing in Greninja's eyes. Nothing was there but a dark, blue abyss.

But... a shadow appeared. I knew there was my chance.

"Greninja. Grass Knot." I said. And he ended up hearing me. I heard a smack from inside my mind. Yep, that was the sound of a landing attack.

"What is happening?! I'm a Water type expert, I should know this!" Quentin yelled. I ignored his yelling. I knew I had to finish this and not spoil it for anyone.

"Greninja, use Night Slash!" I shouted. A harder smack was heard. And I also heard it propel upwards. Huntail was now in the air.

"Ha! Huntail, use Ice Fang!" Quentin screamed.

"And Greninja! Quick Attack, finish this!" I also yelled. Closer and closer they got as Greninja left out of the water.

Greninja kicked Huntail from underneath, and then continued the Quick Attack.

It's over. I couldn't believe it.

"Huntail is unable to battle! Greninja is the winner, which means the victory goes to the challenger!" The referee yelled, and... confetti was being thrown at me.

"Yes! That was... AMAZING!" I screamed excitedly.

"You... You really _are_ quite strong after all." Quentin uttered in shock.

* * *

Greninja walks up to me and nods. I give him a fist bump before returning him.

"NIFTY!" Sonic screamed. He, Jake and Tess were walking up to me.

"Great job! You did great out there!" Jake cheered.

"You aren't lying when you said you are strong." Tess added.

"Thanks, guys. Believing is always the best thing we strive for." I said,

"You certainly are a driven individual," Quentin complimented as he was walking to me, "I can tell that you and your victories are have more meaning than just a victory over battle. You are training with purpose, and I like that."

"That is true. I'm training to become strong and win back what the dark energy took away from me." I said.

"Your journey, wherever it may take you, is something special. As soon as you let that go, you will become weak." Quentin warned. I haven't stopped, and I don't plan on stopping right now.

"I'm still going. It'll be that way for a while." I insisted.

"Always fight for something and not for personal gain, I always say." Quentin said with a chuckle. I just lowered my brows. If only Kevin was _this_ smart to understand such wise words.

"You have earned my respect, and now you have earned this prize." Quentin continued, and he opened his palm. In there was the Float Badge.

"I present to you... the Float Badge!" Quentin said, bringing the badge closer.

"Yes! Thank you so much!" I thanked, and I take the badge from his hand.

"I got the Float Badge! Alright!" I yelled as I put it high into the air.

"With that badge, you will be able to trade for Pokémon up to level 50," Quentin replied, "I also want you to have this."

And he handed me a blue TM. This might be a Water type move then...

"TM55 contains the move Scald," Quentin explained, "Scald is a strategic Water type move that can actually burn the opponent. As I'm sure you know, a burn slowly hurts the opponent turn by turn, but it will also cut their attack power in half."

"That's true. And Scald is the only Water type move capable to doing that." I reminded him.

"Now, about what I said about your 'fighting with a purpose'..." Quentin started.

"What about it?" I asked.

"The reason you fight if pure and will grant you incredible strength in your journey." Quentin replied.

"Yeah, I... I guess so." I said with a shrug.

"I know about your parents. Along with your friend there," Quentin said, looking at me and Sonic, "Like I said before, word travels fast. The story of the teens that lost their parents to the wicked Team Eclipse, then shows up and fights them back... not once, but twice... now is spreading all over town."

"Are you some kind of fortune teller?" I teased. Everyone laughed a bit.

"Your story not only strengthens you, but others who hear of your journey." Quentin said, recovering from his small laugh.

"I wonder who might've heard it by now..." I thought.

"Now, young trainer, go and continue to fight for what is right. Your journey is only just beginning." Quentin responded.

"You got it!" I replied with a wink. And I leave the Gym, with my friends walking right behind me.

* * *

We exit the gym, and now we're back in Rosecove City. And a voice got a little louder as the person was approaching us.

"Well, look who it is." The familiar voice said. That voice kinda surprised me. The person walking up to us was none other than...

Professor Cypress.

"Cypress?" I asked, totally confused.

"What a surprise to run into you here, Nifty. And Sonic. And... some other randoms I am not familiar with." Cypress replied. I don't know why he said that. Cypress briefly seen Jake. For Tess, I can understand why.

"What the hell are ya doing here?" I asked, a bit more loudly this time.

"I was just in the neighborhood to talk to a man about some Pokémon related issues I've been having," Cypress explained, and then he shook his head to change to another topic, "Anyway, I heard from a few people that a member of Team Eclipse tried stealing your necklace in Chesma Town. It was very fortunate that you managed to escape."

"Woah. Did that really happen, Nifty?" Tess asked. I nodded.

"Your 'friend' wasn't a true friend, Cypress. Linda can die in a hole for all I care." I snapped. Cypress had a hidden look of disgust on his face, but he just closes his eyes as he adjusts his glasses.

"I'll bet you and your Pokémon are very strong now?" He assumed. Then he looked at my badge case, surprised at the three badges I have in my disposal right now.

"Oh, It looks like you have 3 badges now. You really are coming along quite well." Cypress said, a bit surprised.

"That's right! I just won the 3rd Gym. Now Sonic has to prepare for it as well, and we're off to the next place in Roria." I replied with a big smile.

"Anyways, Nifty, I also wanted to tell you that I haven't gotten any word regarding your parents yet." Cypress reminded, a somber look on his face again.

"That's alright. I have 4 friends by my side. We're basically an army by now." I chuckled. Cypress turned away and shrugs his shoulders. But...

I could've sworn I heard him sigh in annoyance. Is he hiding something?

He turns back to me.

"According to a few sources," The professor started, "it would appear that Team Eclipse definitely has them, but it's unclear where they are keeping them. Team Eclipse has been giving the people of Roria trouble for a few years now, but their base of operation has never been found."

"We'll keep on looking. They can't hide forever." I said.

"What's odd it that in the past, they have been keeping their villainous attempts on the down low. Lately, though, they have been attacking very populated areas, and in large numbers. If I had to guess, I'd say they were getting close to whatever it is that they are after." Cypress kept on explaining.

"Do you know what dirty work they are planning?" I demanded an answer.

"What's that? You want to know what they're trying to do?" Cypress asked. I nodded.

"Well, there have been stories and rumors spread around that they are looking for a particular ancient Pokémon with an incredibly unique power. I was once told that Team Eclipse is not happy with the world we live in." The Roria professor explained.

"Why would they be unhappy about our world? There's nothing wrong with it!" Sonic asked.

"Apparently, whatever they are searching for... might have the potential to take them someplace new. I would guess an entirely new world." Cypress replied. Well, I can tell that it's a legendary. But to alternate dimensions?

There's a couple different choices...

"What Pokémon has the sort of power, though, is beyond me." Cypress finished.

"All I know it's a legendary. It's kinda hard to decide which one, though." I said. Cypress just lowered his head and chuckled.

"I've heard that Team Eclipse has also been making attempts to gather lots of other Pokémon, including some mythical and legendary Pokémon. Groudon and Kyogre are great and powerful Pokémon that can create land and seas. They give our world balance." He responded.

"Without either of them... well, we'd just be the ones who destroyed the world." I said while shrugging my shoulders.

"I'm guessing they need those Pokémon to bring balance to wherever they are trying to get to. Without these Pokémon, however, I'm afraid it will bring chaos upon Roria." Cypress responded.

"Well, they tried, and they failed badly. And they will never succeed as long as we live." I shouted.

"Nifty... do you ever stop?" Cypress groaned. He was getting pretty tired of my attitude. But my friends are used to it! Yeah, he must be hiding something.

"You see, legendary Pokémon crafted this world. Be it, the land and seas, or even time and space. It was all made by legendary Pokémon." Cypress said.

"I KNOW THAT," I exclaimed, "I told you, I actually _study_ for a _living_. My parents are archaeology experts, and they taught me a lot. Try not to get too deep down in my anger, alright? You won't like me when I'm ugly."

"Geez, Nifty. You're so... rough." Tess said, cringing by my violent sentence.

"He's been like that. When Nifty gets mad, he'll make anyone afraid of him." Jake warned.

"Yeah. That's true." Sonic added.

"Anyways, we have nothing to fear." Cypress said, a smile forming.

"Well, that's good to hear." I replied.

"It seems that Team Eclipse's attempt to secure another legendary Pokémon has failed," Cypress said as he looks at the sky for a couple seconds, then turning back to us, "Well, I really must get going, Nifty."

"It's been nice talking with ya." I responded with a fake smile.

"I need to run to the Pokémon Center real fast. Be safe and stay out of trouble. It was nice talking with you as well." Cypress replied, and then he left. I replaced my fake smile with an angry frown.

"Nifty? You alright?" Sonic asked.

"'Be safe and stay out of trouble'. What does he think I am, a child?! I have that suspicious feeling that Professor Cypress is hiding something. I just don't know what it is." I ranted.

"Well... you... did great on the Gym battle!" Jake exclaimed, changing the topic. And with that being said, Greninja escaped his Poke Ball, and made a proud pose in front of us. We all just chuckled.

"I don't know how else this would turn out if Greninja wasn't there." I said while smiling. And then... Quilladin came out of Sonic's Poke Ball.

"Quill, Quilladin!" The Spiny Armor Pokémon yelled.

"Gren." Greninja croaked back. And they stare at each other. Greninja has a smug look while Quilladin had a playful angry look.

"Um... what's going on?" Tess asked.

"It seems like they want to battle. Is that alright, Nifty? Using just one Pokémon?" Sonic requested.

"Sure thing, pal. Let's do it." I replied with a smirk.

* * *

We decided to do this battle on the beach. It was big enough, and it won't cause a huge mess. Before the battle began, I used the Scald TM on Greninja to see if it will change the battle.

"Lots of luck to the both of you!" Jake cheered.

"You can do it, you two! I just know it! Just have fun, alright?" Tess added.

"You ready, Quilladin? Let's use our strength from what we learned against Admin Gabe." Sonic asked. Quilladin yelled as a response.

"Not if we try. Let's show him, Greninja." I said. Greninja crosses his arms and nods.

"And I will make this quick by MAKING THE FIRST MOVE! Greninja, use Water Shuriken!" I commanded. Greninja jumps high into the air, and made the ninja stars made of water. He threw each of them at Quilladin. It didn't do much, but it was a good start.

"Okay! Hang in there, Quilladin! Use Pin Missile!" Sonic shouted. And Quilladin shoots some spiny missiles.

But Greninja dodges the first one. Then the other. And the rest were also being dodged.

"Oh my! Greninja is so fast!" Tess exclaimed.

"Yeah! I'm so surprised at the strength, even when it just evolved!" Jake shouted.

"Quilladin, use Rollout!" Sonic yelled. The rolling nut comes closer.

"To the side!" I exclaimed. And Greninja swiftly dodge the attack, and Quilladin trips, surprised by not seeing Greninja there.

"And now use Quick Attack!" I continued. And from behind, Greninja whams Quilladin in the back. His face being slid across the sand. It was no big deal for him though.

"Ugh... no, we can't lose like this." Sonic mumbled. I didn't think it would be this easy.

"This will be... fast." Jake simply said.

"Well, you might want to give the both of them a chance, Jake. They are pretty strong, after all." Tess reminded.

"ANYTHING FOR YOU!" Jake screamed as hearts became his eyes. Tess looked confused, and then just slightly looks away from him.

"Yeeeeeaaaaahhh..." She mumbled.

"Wow, even I am surprised. Not giving in just yet?" I teased.

"Never! I won't surrender!" Sonic shouted in a playful way.

"That's your choice." I snickered. But the heart beat sound from earlier... it's back. But this time, it's faster and louder.

"Quilladin, use Pin Missile one more time!" Sonic yelled. And the same attack from the start is there.

"Greninja! Block it with Water Shuriken!" I exclaimed.

And my starter uses his signature attack to block the other attack. As it turns out, the Pin Missile got the advantage.

But Greninja jumps out of the way before the attack can land.

"Holy crap. This is insane. Completely insane." I said in utter surprise.

"Hmm... okay, Quilladin, keep going! Use Needle Arm!" Sonic shouted. Coming closer as the command was made...

I smirked. This looks like it's gonna be an easy battle.

"Greninja, dodge it, then use Scald." I said. Greninja easily dodges the ram, and then lets out a stream of hot water. Quilladin had no time to react. It wasn't very effective, but it sure did a decent amount.

"Oh no! Quilladin!" Sonic shouted, concerned.

"Ooh... I don't like where this is going." Tess said, wincing a bit.

"I feel worried for Sonic. Nifty is doing great, flawlessly. It's insane." Jake added.

"Quilladin, come on! Don't give up! We can do it!" Sonic yelled. Quilladin slowly gets up.

"Quilla... DINNNNNNNNNNNN!" Quilladin screams, and a few seconds later, now he's glowing. All of us were surprised.

"Evolution!" Jake and Tess shouted excitedly in unison. As the process goes on, Quilladin grew much bigger. It grew a big shell on his back, arms were much bigger, legs were longer, and there were more spikes all around.

Quilladin evolved into Chesnaught.

"Y...Yes. YES! Chesnaught! The final evolution is here!" Sonic cheered. I just smiled. I'm so happy to see this, even with a battle with my own friend.

Chesnaught growls and smiles, happy to see his trainer happy.

"Now we can truly have a battle! Let's go!" Sonic shouted, and he smiled as he and Chesnaught got into a pose, ready to fight.

"Okay, Greninja. Let's keep this battle going. We shall not give in just yet!" I yelled. And... there's that sound again.

 **THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP**

Greninja's eyes were glowing a little red. I felt a lot of adrenaline inside of me. I don't know what's happening.

"GRENINJA! FULL! POWER! _NOW!_ " I screamed. I let out another shout, and Greninja did the same. This feeling... it's like our bodies became one.

I... was looking inside Greninja's eyes. Everything he could see, I am seeing as well.

Greninja was also surrounded in a veil of water that reached up to the sky. I could tell my friends were surprised.

"Holy sh- WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Tess yelled, beyond confused at this point.

"I HAVE NO IDEA!" Jake screamed. And the water disappeared, but it reformed. Now Greninja's appearance... changed a bit. There was a red X on his head, and tiny red bolts on the side of his face. And there was a giant Water Shuriken on his back.

I've heard about this ability. It's called... Battle Bond.

"Now... let's unleash this power! Greninja, use Water Shuriken! Again!" I yelled. This time, the stars were much bigger than usual. As they landed on Chesnaught, he almost tripped. Holy crap. I don't even know what's happening.

Sonic checked his Pokédex. Uh oh. New move alert.

"Chesnaught, use Seed Bomb!" Sonic shouted. Chesnaught roars, and a bunch of bombs made of giant seeds were formed. He threw each of them.

"RUN! DON'T STOP NOW!" I shrieked. Greninja dodges each of them. Since I am seeing in his eyes, I felt myself get a little dizzy, as if I felt _I_ was dodging all these attacks by myself.

"Now Greninja, use Quick Attack!" I shouted. Way faster than usual.

"Chesnaught! Block it with Spiky Shield!" Sonic exclaimed. Chesnaught turned around, and more spikes formed. Greninja was knocked back as the spikes hit him.

I kneeled on one knee and held my left arm with my right. I can feel his pain, too?!

"Nifty! Are you ok?" Jake asked.

"Ugh... I'm alright. This... is beyond intense right now. But this battle isn't over just yet." I replied.

"Chesnaught! Pin Missile!" Sonic yelled.

"Block it with Water Shuriken!" I screamed. And this one attack will decide it all. My eyes were wide open, my teeth gritting. I felt SO much energy. It was beyond anything I have ever experienced.

"GRENINJA, USE NIGHT SLASH!"

"CHESNAUGHT, USE SEED BOMB!"

Those kind of attacks don't exactly collide. But they did go around each other. Chesnaught easily took the hit, but as for Greninja...

He looked shocked as the bombs came closer. He began to run...

SMASH!

It was too late. The bombs landed. It was an easy KO. I felt that pain. It was lots of pain, I ended up falling down.

Greninja turned back into his normal appearance. I was seeing in my own eyes again. Thank Arceus.

But that was that. Sonic won the battle.

* * *

I sat up and shook my head frantically, getting back to what was happening in the real world. The first thing that happened was Sonic approaches me and offers his hand.

I accept, and he helps me up.

"You alright, Nifty?" Sonic asked.

"Apart from something I have no freaking idea about... I'm fine either way." I replied with a small chuckle.

"Both Chesnaught and Greninja did a great job. You did great battling, Nifty." Sonic complimented as he returns Chesnaught to his Poke Ball.

"Heh, thanks. That was an intense 1v1 battle." I said.

"That was an amazing battle! You two are... WOW!" Jake screamed, almost out of breath. Yeah, Jake. Stop talking before you collapse from exhaustion.

"What was that? Something happened with you and Greninja, Nifty." Tess asked.

"From what I've heard before, it was something called Battle Bond," I explained, "Apparently, it's this cool ability that allows a trainer and its Pokémon to combine themselves into one being. No one has really gotten to achieve it for over 1000 years. But there was this young trainer named Ash Ketchum who got that ability. Legend says he's still there to revive what happened in the Kalos region."

"So... should we call that new form... Ash-Greninja for short?" Jake asked.

"Hell no. That's stupid. And my name is Nifty, duh. Just look at the beauty of that ability." I groaned. Greninja, exhausted from the battle, walked to me with a smug smile.

"You did great out there. Get some rest, we had a long day." I said while smiling back. And I return him as well. Now we have to get ready for the next day.

"Excuse me there, you strong people." A man's voice said. We all turned around. The man had light tan skin and blue hair, and a blue bandanna around his mouth.

He wore a black tank top with a white strap around it, holding 2 swords. He had black bracelets, long, black pants, and white shoes. There was also a skeleton icon as a necklace.

"I saw your battle there. You must be strong trainers, are you not?" He asked.

"And who are _you_ supposed to be?" I exclaimed.

"I'm Justin. Not new, but just recently arrived in Rosecove City." The guy said.

"So... what are you doing here?" Sonic asked.

"Well, I have been seeing news about a certain villain group known as Team Eclipse," Justin explained, "You see, I'm the Admin of a group that I will not tell. Team Eclipse has been stealing our members lately, and we are gonna find them and take our members back from what they did."

"Sounds... interesting." Tess said.

"I'm certain you four are... familiar with Team Eclipse?" Justin asked.

"Yeah. They kidnapped my parents. The same thing happened to Sonic." I replied.

"Nifty's parents gave him a necklace in the shape of a brick, and mine gave me this one, a metallic sphere." Sonic added.

"Hm... I see." Justin simply said.

"So... you saw our battle?" I asked.

"Yeah, and I know you are strong. If you think you're strong enough, you should find me at Anthian City. I'll be there." Justin said. Before I can respond back, he walks away to Route 9.

I should know more about this Justin guy.

* * *

 ***scene change: Pokémon Center***

We healed all our Pokémon. Mine's had a long time with that battling at the Gym. Since it was pretty late now, we decided to reserve a room here.

After eating dinner, we are in our rented room for the day. Three beds. Two hold one person, the one holds two.

"Looks like some of us are gonna have to share a bed." Sonic said.

"I vote Jake and Tess." I said with a smirk.

"W-Woah! W-Why us? D-Did we do anything?" Jake exclaimed, very flustered as he started blushing.

"Aw, come on, Jake. It can't be that bad. It's just sleeping." Tess giggled.

"Y-You're right! I can do it perfectly!" Jake exclaimed as he smiles proudly. I shook my head. Something will happen I just know it.

 ***time skip***

All of us are changed into our pajamas. Jake wore a short sleeve blue shirt and green pants, while Tess wore a long sleeve purple shirt, along with purple leggings.

"Well, it sure has been a great day. Tomorrow will being us many good stuff." Sonic said in the most positive way possible.

"Word." I replied.

"Well, goodnight, everyone. It's so nice to meet you all." Tess said as she sat down on the bed, rolling over and pulling the blanket over her.

"Good luck on the Gym tomorrow, Sonic." Jake complimented, and then sits next to Tess. He seemed kinda nervous to be _this_ close to his crush, so he scoots over a little.

Sonic and I sat in the separate beds there.

"Good night, Nifty. Great job." Sonic said.

"Night, Sonic." I replied. I turn off the lamp, and now it's completely dark. Sonic already fell asleep as I turned it off.

I put the blanket over myself, but I thought for a minute.

 _"What was that thing that just happened? And why was I chosen?"_ I thought. I shrugged it off. I might find out tomorrow. Yeah, it's late and we need rest.

I slowly close my eyes and drift off to sleep. Better watch yourself, Team Eclipse. Not only is that group that Justin is in coming for you...

but so is Brick Bronze.

* * *

 **A/N: Kay, this chapter is finally complete. Justin is a new friend I just made, and he's gonna play some parts in this story, starting when the group arrives in Anthian City.**

 **Also, Justin belongs to xJustinx. Or xJustinx2003 on Roblox.**

 **Thanks for viewing! Have a great day, and I'll see y'all next time! :D**


	13. Music, Brah

**An extra chapter I thought of, that stars... a little debate I had. ;)**

 **Unfortunately, I can't tell you the topic straight off the bat. Instead, you'll find out what it is when this story begins, right down below. This is based on something I said, with a tiny debate added into it.**

 **And now since that is out of the way, enjoy this bonus chapter that you weren't expecting at all! XD**

* * *

 ***the next day***

I sat up from my bed and yawned. Another day is here. Great. Like always, I always have a feeling that there's always something positive that would come out of this day.

"Ah. Another day." I said with a sigh. I look out the window. The curtains were closed since we don't want any sunlight interrupting our sleep, because we need that. I just slightly open the curtains.

It was another beautiful day. The sun was shining, and some people were already hanging out at the beach. Boy, that was fast.

I turn over to Sonic. He was slowly turning in his sleep before he woke up. I was considered an early bird. Waking up early and going through a morning routine is my type of thing.

The ironic thing that lots of people have... they're not a fan of mornings. Which I am fine with, because I respect other people's opinions on random crap. The problem is others just try to debate and let other people take their side, and insult the other side for... you know, picking that other side.

"Well, well. Up already, I see?" I teased, a wide smirk on my face.

"Shush." Sonic replied, another smile back. As friends, it was always necessary to mess around with each other at times.

"So, dude. Are you ready for the Gym?" I asked.

"Of course! This one might not be easy due to water, but I can do this!" Sonic responded.

"Heck yeah! That's what I like hearing from ya! Good stuff!" I exclaimed excitedly. But it was low enough so Jake and Tess don't wake up because of my outburst..

"Anyway, I'm gonna get ready. I'll be done soon." Sonic said, and then walks to the bathroom so he can get ready for today.

I sat on a chair by a small desk, waiting for the others to get up. I looked over to them, and my mouth was wide open from what I was seeing right now.

Jake was holding onto Tess's body while both of them were sleeping.

"Oh yeah, I'm so gonna keep this moment." A smirk was here again. I hid behind a closet door. I have no idea why it was there, but I assume it was for people who would live here until they have enough money to actually buy a house.

I only slightly kept it open. I grabbed my smartphone that was sitting on my desk. It was the newest iPhone 8 Plus. A red one, and it had a Team Valor case on it, to protect it from the drops, in case that ever happens.

The first thing I saw when I pulled it out was the time. It is 7:02 AM. My lock screen had me, and my mom and dad. I'm 16 in this picture, this was a week before I started my adventure. I pressed the button and entered my 4-digit passcode. I ain't telling it, mind you.

The code was accepted, and I was taken to my home screen. This one had the Team Valor logo, with fire surrounding it. I didn't have a lot of stuff other than calling and texting.

I also only had a couple games on it. Geometry Dash, Super Mario Run, and Fire Emblem Heroes. Not a lot of stuff, even though there's not a lot of mobile games I'd keep for a long time. If I do, I'd play them for a day, then get bored of it.

Wait, am I forgetting something? Oh yeah, the... situation.

I pressed the app for the camera. I adjusted my phone in the room until it was viewing Jake and Tess sleeping together. I don't care how long I stand here, I want to keep this moment.

"Nifty?" Sonic called out. I opened the door some more and smirked while wiggling my eyebrows. Before he could speak, I told him to shush. Sonic realized why once he saw our other friends in that... position. So he kept himself hidden from them as well.

After about 5 minutes, I heard some moaning.

"Mmm..." It was Tess. I pressed the record button on my phone as I put the mode on "video". Tess finally got up, and moves around a little bit. She got startled once Jake had his arms wrapped around her.

"J-Jake?!" Tess yelled as her face turned red. The yell made Jake wake up. And once he realized what he was doing, he pulled away as his face was as red as a tomato.

"Oh my Arceus! T-Tess, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to do it! I-I was asleep!" Jake apologized profusely. I silently chuckled.

"O-Ok... I'm calm now." Tess said as she took a few deep breaths to get it together.

"Yeah... you're kinda clingy, aren't you?" Tess teased. Jake's face was more red. At this point, it should've caused a nosebleed...

"W-Well, I-I guess, but... I-It wasn't because I was scared or anything!" Jake exclaimed.

"Well, that's cool, Jake." Tess said while nodding. I ended the video and put my phone in my pocket. I wanted to make sure they didn't find out. While the two were still talking, I was able to exit the closet without being noticed by them.

"Enjoying it, you two?" I asked.

"Oh! Good morning, Nifty!" Jake greeted.

"Did you sleep well?" Tess asked.

"Yeah, it was fine. I'm gonna get ready for the day. Be sure you two get prepared as well, we'll be continuing our adventure from here." I explained. Jake and Tess nodded in unison, and I walked away so I can get changed and all that other stuff people do in the morning.

* * *

Timeskip: 9:00 AM*

After breakfast, we were hanging out by the beach for a little bit. And... we still are right now. Jake and Sonic were battling. Jake's Vaporeon was against Sonic's newly evolved Chesnaught. Yep, with a type advantage, he'd be good. And plus, Brionne will be good for the water movement.

"Vaporeon, use Water Pulse!" Jake yelled.

"Chesnaught, pop it with Spiky Shield!" Sonic shouted. And Chesnaught makes the Water Pulse burst with the spikes on his back.

Chesnaught roars, proud of its newly found strength as he has just evolved. Plus, gaining the new secondary Fighting type will make some other Pokémon fear him. Yeah, he does gain a couple more weaknesses, but he's still able to do good stuff.

I smiled, happy to see that Sonic will be able to pass this Gym easily. I pulled out my smartphone once again. The gentle ocean breeze was flowing along from my Team Valor clothes that I had on almost every day. But I'd wear them every day now since these were the clothes I picked for my adventure.

Not that I mind. It's better if people recognize me that way.

I also pulled out a pair of earbuds, and put them on my ears (I have headphones, but let's be honest... you want me to carry those everywhere I go?). I also didn't have a lot of music choices. Not that I don't like music, because I certainly do. But... this might anger some, but...

I'm not a fan of modern music. There's a lot of crappy songs in this generation.

But if I hear a song I like on the radio, I'd enjoy it. But that doesn't go for every song. Plus, you know, I don't buy music apps, because there's one thing I go to when I wanna listen to music:

YouTube.

Ever since I was little, I've been into YouTube. It just felt nice to see some random content that other people made.

"Hey, Nifty! What'cha doin'?" Tess asked as she sat down next to me. Oh yeah. And also, we were on towels. I'm not dealing with sandy clothes right now.

"Eh, just scrolling through YouTube." I replied.

"Ah, okay. Have you been into it for a while?"

"Ever since I was little. I enjoy it to this day."

"What do you like to watch?"

"I mostly use it to listen to music. Other stuff is... the other rare percentage. But music is what I mostly use it for."

"I like music as well. Do you have a favorite genre?"

I took my earbuds out of my ears, a confused look on my face.

"Favorite genre? I'm not sure I have one." I said with a shrug.

"Oh. Well, do you at least have a favorite song?" Tess asked.

"There's so many to pick from. I can't just pick one." I replied with a small chuckle.

"Aw, come on, Nifty! I'm sure there's one song that you like!" Tess insisted.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" I was getting a little irritated at this point. People don't go this far on me. It's true, I listen to a lot of songs, there's just not _one_ I can pick as my absolute favorite.

"Genre or favorite? You don't have either favorite one? I'm surprised!" Tess said in a shocked tone. I rolled my eyes. Why is she this interested in the music I listen to.

"Ugh." A slight groan was let out of my throat.

"Nifty, seriously. There should be one song you like." Tess said, patting my shoulder to make me look at her.

"I dunno, video game music." I said with a shrug. Tess seemed surprised.

"What?" She asked.

"You heard me. That's the kind of music I like, and the one I mostly listen to." I replied.

"You don't even like Jazz? Or Rock n' Roll? Pop? Country? None of those?!" Tess exclaimed.

"I don't care for much songs on the radio." I said.

"That's wrong, Nifty! You should listen to other songs, you know!" Tess said angrily. She took her hat off her head and set it down.

"You're against me for that. Wow." I chuckled.

"I mean, look at me for example! Every time a new music by one of my favorite singers come, I want to see it as soon as possible! I'll admit, I like Panic! At The Disco. But I like other people as well!" Tess explained.

"They're good, but I don't go on YouTube to look for songs. I like games in general, and lemme tell you, the music in most games is... quite catchy." I said.

"Video game music isn't even real music!" Tess yelled.

"Video game music _is_ real music because people _made_ it," I explained, "If there wasn't music in video games, then there'd be a game that no one is going to enjoy. Not even for a little bit. Plus, people make symphonies and orchestras to make music better in some cases."

"I'm not even a gamer in general... but that's seriously what you pick?" Tess asked.

"Yep." I responded.

"Just listen to a modern song, Nifty! There's lots to choose from!" Tess shouted.

"Music in this generation is s* *t. The bad songs in this world can kiss my a* ,"I yelled, "Plus, lots of songs this day are filled with many inappropriate stuff: like drugs, sex, and too much swearing."

"But you were swearing right now!" Tess reminded.

"Yeah, but for a good reason." I exclaimed.

"Ugh, fine! I guess I will prove it to you." Tess groaned, and she pulled out her smartphone. It was an iPhone 6. A white one, and it had a purple case.

The lock screen was an ocean wave, and the home screen was a Poke Ball. Too bad she didn't have a passcode. She would need it, just in case someone tries to steal it.

She loaded up her music collection. The song she picked was "High Hopes". Like she mentioned, it was made by Panic! At The Disco.

The song ended after some time. Yeah, it was catchy, but I'm not gonna let her win this argument. Even Jake and Sonic joined in to check it out.

She also played "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons, and also "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots. They're good songs.

And then Tess started playing some old songs. The band was called "Queen", and I didn't know who the hell they were.

"How the f* *k am I supposed to know them? I don't know crap about old songs!" I yelled.

"Well... this one might sound familiar." Tess giggled. And the song she played next was "We Will Rock You". Yeah, it's a very familiar song. My parents knew that one.

"Well? Into modern and old songs?" Tess asked, smiling widely.

"Eh." I said with a shrug. Tess put her phone in sleep mode and put it back in her pocket.

"You should listen to other songs, Nifty. It can't just be one genre all the time." Tess warned.

"Uh, this is a free region. Roria has no law on crap like this. Plus, people have their own opinions." I explained.

"It's true." Sonic added. But Jake was too distracted on Tess's hair since she still had her hat off.

"Fine. I give up." Tess groaned as she put her hat back on.

"NOOOOOO! Tess, keep it off! I want to see your hair!" Jake whined.

"Why?" Tess asked.

"Um... because it looks nice?" Jake said meekly. I could tell it was a lie.

"Eh heh... such big words for a little man." I teased.

"Well, I think I'll just let the argument keep going if you want... that is, if you want to get b* * *h slapped by a girl with a sexy voice." Tess teased back.

"Nah. Opinions are a thing, let people express them." I said as I did the shooing motion. Tess scoffs and walks away. She didn't go too far, she's just by the gate to Route 9.

And now people were surrounded by us. By the time "We Will Rock You" was playing, people were around us to join in.

I pulled out my phone and smirked.

"She said video game music ain't real. And I will prove it by singing the best song in gaming history." I said. And everyone began to cheer. Sonic and Jake joined in. The people in Rosecove City were gathered around. I picked one song that will drag people's attention.

"Lifelight". The theme song for the latest game on the Nintendo Switch, "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate".

 _Colors weave into a spire of flame_

 _Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed_

 _Bare this torch against the cold of the night_

 _Search your soul and re-awaken the undying light_

 _On that day, when the sky fell away,_

 _Our world came to an end_

 _In our eyes, did a fading sunrise in the dark,_

 _Glimmering shadows_

 _Silence grows in the spaces between,_

 _Stretching out beyond time_

 _Rising up as a chorus of souls find a voice_

 _Flickering through the void_

 _These little sparks cling onto life,_

 _Everyone caught in the struggle_

 _And then the storms of change, they fan the flames,_

 _Scattering ashes to the wind_

 _Every soul contains a whisper of light_

 _Gleaming faintly as it dwindles from sight_

 _No escape, no greater fate to be made_

 _In the end, the chains of time will not break_

 _Colors weave into a spire of flame_

 _Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed_

 _Bare this torch against the cold of the night_

 _Search your soul and re-awaken the undying light_

 _As fate spins, a thread without end,_

 _New life draws its first breath_

 _Blossoming in a soil reclaimed from the past,_

 _Where destiny holds fast_

 _Here where we stand, hand clenched in hand,_

 _Everyone caught in the struggle_

 _This is the day we finally find our way,_

 _Stepping into our tomorrow_

 _Every soul contains a whisper of light_

 _Growing louder as it calls to unite_

 _From the distance sings a chorus of souls_

 _Rising slowly, stirring heat from the coals_

 _Colors weave into a spire of flame_

 _Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed_

 _Bare this torch against the cold of the night_

 _Light will guide you on your way to the ultimate fight!_

 _Every soul contains a whisper of light_

 _Growing louder as it calls to unite_

 _From the distance sings a chorus of souls_

 _Rising slowly, stirring heat from the coals_

 _Colors weave into a spire of flame_

 _Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed_

 _Bare this torch against the cold of the night_

 _Light will guide you on your way to the ultimate fight!_

The song is over. I sang every last line along with the female vocalist singing that song. Afer my karaoke session, everyone was cheering, screaming at the top of their lungs. Some even begged for an encore.

"NIFTY! That was incredible! I never knew you had such skill in you!" Sonic cheered.

"Yeah. That's what happens when you're a proud Nintendo fan." I replied. I'm glad that everyone around here was happy to hear me sing this MASTERPIECE of a song.

I wonder how Tess is doing after something like this. Eh, whatever. It's all fine in the end, she'll get used to it.

Now for Sonic to battle the Gym.

* * *

 **A/N: That's the bonus. My dad represents Tess, who tried to convince me that old music is better in general, and he's upset at me just for picking video game music. And I represent Nifty, listening to Lifelight until I get paler and die.**

 **That's the bonus tho. See y'all next time! ;)**

 **P.S.: Yeah. You're not gonna see Nifty and Tess swear often. It'll rarely happen, this time being one of them.**


	14. Awesome Scenes

**Here's the next chapter to this story. Hope it goes well! Enjoy!**

* * *

Time has passed, and... Tess made up pretty easily. I dunno if she was always like that, but I'm not the kind of person to keep an argument going.

Because arguments get out of hand _real_ fast if they keep going on. And they better not.

My voice was still feeling fine, even after all that singing. Like, it _did_ do a lot to my vocal chords or whatever, but I still feel fine. Should I ease up next time I sing?

We are near the gym.

"Well, Sonic? Are you ready to get your third Gym Badge?" Tess asked with a smile on her face.

"Yeah... I guess." Sonic replied, a bit anxiously. We managed to spot that tone easily.

"Are you ok, Sonic? You don't sound like you're ready." Jake pointed out. Togepi lightly pokes her trainer, slightly confused.

"Well... I just feel a little nervous. That's all." Sonic said. I put my hand on one of his shoulders.

"Dude, we have fought the gyms in Silvent and Brimber City, and we won them with ease. This one will not make a difference. I know you can do it." I explained, doing my best to cheer him up. While lots of people need practice before they battle a Gym, Sonic and I are very strong trainers.

There's no doubt this will be a good match.

Sonic looks down at the ground, and then he looks at me with a soft smile.

"Yeah, you're right, Nifty. I need to be determined, I shouldn't be worried anymore." He said, trying to hide his worriness. It was easy to hear though. I just look at him, to make sure he doesn't feel uncomfortable.

"I'm ready." Sonic said with a sigh. Togepi smiles cutely.

"Now that's the spirit, bud! Come on, let's go." I exclaimed. I am just happy to cheer my friend on again in another one of these tough battles. Sonic nods, and we enter the Gym.

Still... I do wonder how this is gonna turn out.

* * *

On the bright side, at least I didn't have to do these freaking puzzles again. It was _way_ different than a normal jigsaw... which I hate. I just hate puzzles in general, like I have mentioned before.

After walking across 3 bridges from the last time, Quentin looks at us. He seemed interested, even though the bandanna was covering his mouth.

"Well. I was expecting you guys to come. I was sure your other friend would want to battle next." He reminded.

"Yep. I'm ready to get my third badge." Sonic cheered, and Togepi giggles along.

"Very well then. Let's go to the battlefield, shall we?" Quentin insisted. Sonic nods.

"Just give me one second." He said. Quentin nods back in understanding.

"Hey, Tess. Can you take care of Togepi for me?" Sonic asked as he held the baby star to his friend. Tess carefully took Togepi in both of her arms, holding her carefully.

"I will, Sonic. Good luck. We know you can do this." Tess complimented.

"Heh, I know. Thank you, and Jake, and Nifty... for having my back." Sonic chuckled.

"You're welcome, Sonic. We're always happy to help." Tess said with a smile.

"That's what friends are for, amirite?" I added. Sonic winks and nods.

* * *

On the battlefield, Sonic was on one side, while Quentin was on the other.

"Well. I can tell you're being serious right now." Quentin stated.

"Yeah, that's right!" Sonic yelled excitedly, "I'm going save my parents, and Nifty's as well! We're gonna stop Team Eclipse! And I am gonna prove Kevin wrong, that Pokémon are our friends, and not tools just to battle!"

I smiled at every word Sonic was shouting at his point.

"I still have to meet Kevin." Tess whispered to me as she poked my arm.

"We might. He's a little ahead. I have a feeling we'll see him again someday." I responded. I took my attention to the other conversation happening right now.

"Such inspiring words," Quentin said, "I can tell that you will be more determined when you're battling. Same with being much more smart, to make decisions quicker."

Quentin smirks as he pulls out a Poke Ball.

"But enough with that, let's see if you can defeat this Gym. Go Wailmer!" He yelled, and sent out his first Pokémon. So this guy should be... pretty easy. I mean, it _is_ the first one.

"Alright then... I'll start this battle with you, Lycanroc!" Sonic shouted, and his first Pokémon was sent out. The wolf dogged his claws right on the small platform, to prevent himself from falling.

"Oh my Arceus! Are we sure Lycanroc can do this? He's at a disadvantage!" Jake exclaimed. I just chuckled to myself. Classic Jake.

"Dude, you saw my Charizard defeat a Water type Pokémon, so I'm pretty sure the same will be for Lycanroc." I said in between laughs.

"Well, yeah, but that was because Charizard can fly. Lycanroc can't." Tess reminded.

"You do have a point. This will be trickier." I said, agreeing with her statement. Our eyes were now on the field. The only thing Lycanroc has to stay afloat is with the small platforms. Other than that, it's gonna be really hard.

"Okay, Lycanroc! Use Accelerock!" Sonic shouted. Lycanroc charges an attack, and unleashes it at full speed, colliding with Wailmer. Well, the wolf is pretty fast, considering the last battles he has been through.

But the water will give him that disadvantage. Will he be able to pull through?

"Wailmer, use Brine!" Quentin yelled. Giant streams of water were shot upwards. More and more came.

"Quick, Lycanroc! Jump to different platforms to avoid those attacks!" Sonic exclaimed. Lycanroc does as he was told. As the water stream was coming to one platform, Lycanroc would move to the other. At least he's good on land, since he's a Rock type.

"Great job! Now use Rock Tomb!" Sonic yelled excitedly. And giant rocks were formed, and the fall down, onto the water. These rocks were huge, so the rocks took up almost all of the deepness of this pool.

So in short, wherever there was a giant rock, it was used as land. There was only a tiny bit of water on each of them, but I don't think Lycanroc is afraid to get his paws a tiny bit wet.

"Wow. This looks interesting. Never have I seen a Rock type do _this_ before." Quentin complimented.

"Well, it's a long story." Sonic said with a nervous chuckle.

"But let's continue our battle. Wailmer! Use Rollout!" Quentin shouted.

"Lycanroc! Counter!" Sonic yelled. Once Wailmer got close, Lycanroc raises his paw, and smacks it at all force, doubling the damage on the whale.

"I'm speechless! It's almost too much for me to comprehend!" Tess shrieked.

"Eh. I mean, when he evolved, it became one of the strongest members of Sonic's team. And that was _very_ early in our journey." I explained.

"I think all of you are great battlers!" Jake said gleefully. But we haven't battled Tess yet. Well, yep. Jake still wants to try and impress her. I appreciate him for that.

"Wailmer, use Scald!" Quentin yelled.

"Dodge it, and then use Accelerock!" Sonic exclaimed. The Water attack got really close, which worried Sonic a little. But the Rock type trusted him, so he dodges the attack, then proceeds to use his own.

"Heh... Wailmer, dive under." Quentin demanded. And now Wailmer was unseen. Lycanroc saw he was about to land in the water (where the rocks were not there), and his eyes were as wide as plates.

Luckily, he uses his hind legs to push up against one of the rocks, and push himself back into it.

"Lycanroc, be prepared! We'll never know what to expect!" Sonic warned.

"Roc." The Pokémon barks.

"Okay, now this is getting a bit nerve wracking." Tess winced.

"Yeah. It's like Dig, but you're worried even more." I added.

Lycanroc looks around, waiting to see where Wailmer will pop up.

"Now! Scald!" Quentin yelped. Wailmer jumps out of the deep water, and unleashes his stream of hot water. Lycanroc had no time to dodge that, so he was forced to take the attack.

"Lycanroc! Are you ok?" Sonic asked. Lycanroc gets up, and shakes the water off of him.

"Lycan! Roc, roc!" He started barking rapidly.

"So determined. I suppose you're not gonna stop there." Quentin assumed.

"Not a chance! Lycanroc, use Accelerock one more time!" Sonic commanded. And the charged up attack came.

"Wailmer, you know what to do." Quentin said with a smirk. And Wailmer dives underwater again. But Lycanroc caught himself again, so he's still fine.

"Alright, make sure to look again, Lycanroc." Sonic said. And the same thing form before happened.

"It's happening again. I'm afraid he'll suffer the same fate..." Jake cried.

"Eh, don't worry. As long as Sonic changes his plan in the middle of looking, it'll be fine. Else he'd become too predictable." I explained.

"Scald, one last time!" Quentin screamed. I saw Sonic with a smile on his face. Ooh, I sense a plan coming alone.

"This is your chance, Lycanroc! Dodge!" Sonic yelled. As the violent water attack came, Lycanroc dodges it at the last second.

"And now use Thrash!" Sonic continued. A bunch of rapid punches were thrown at Wailmer as Lycanroc got close to him.

After that was over, Wailmer fainted, leading up to a huge splash as he landed.

"Wailmer is unable to battle! Lycanroc wins!" The referee yelled, and he points to Sonic's side.

"Yes! What a great start!" Sonic cheered. Lycanroc just smiles.

"Don't celebrate too early. Your battle has just begun." Quentin warned.

"Yeah. It certainly has." Sonic said with a nod.

"Next up, you're going to deal with... Gorebyss!" Quentin shouted, and he sent out his next Pokémon.

"Ooh. This is gonna be more tricky. The Gym Leader's other Pokémon are much faster and better," I thought, "This is gonna get more harder by the minute. Hope Sonic can do this... he does get worried easily sometimes."

Togepi giggles as she waggles her pointer finger.

"No, stop. You're not in the match, Togepi. Save it for another time, ok?" Tess said softly. Togepi understood, so she stopped.

Lycanroc ran up to Gorebyss and used Thrash again. After all, the move continues until the user gets confused due to the fatigue.

"Gorebyss, use Psychic!" Quentin shouted. Gorebyss's eyes glow, and Lycanroc was lifted in the air. This interrupted the Thrash attack.

After a couple seconds of struggling of trying to attack, Lycanroc got confused. The fatigue. That's he one thing that worries me about this move.

When the confusion was final, Gorebyss threw Lycanroc at one of the small platforms.

"Oh Arceus! What do I do, what do I do?" Sonic seemed very worried. He had to plan quick. This is a battle, after all.

"Okay, Gorebyss! Use Scald now!" Quentin commanded. Unfortunately, Lycanroc couldn't dodge it. The confusion, first of all. And the fact that it's super effective.

I look closer. Lycanroc fainted when the attack landed. Ouch. Just that one hit. And the referee didn't really seem surprised.

"Lycanroc is unable to battle! Gorebyss is the winner!" He called out. The giant rocks just disappeared, so now there's less room for land.

"Phew. With enough damage on that one, that last attack from Wailmer did do something, you know." Quentin reminded.

"Yeah. Nifty did tell me a couple tips about stuff like that before." Sonic replied.

"Anyway, you gonna send out your next Pokémon? To continue our battle?" Quentin asked.

"Yep! Go Chesnaught!" Sonic shouted, and his next Pokémon was sent out. Now this will be better with the advantage, and the new moves.

"Heh, can't wait to see how Chesnaught's new strength comes into _this_ battle." I chuckled.

"You can say that again. I'm really excited!" Jake squealed.

"You're always pretty excited, ain't cha, Jake?" Tess teased.

"W-Well, u-um..." Jake stammered as he started blushing.

"Dude. Say something." I insisted. I just wanted to see if he'll be able to impress his crush.

"YOU'D DO JUST AS GOOD!" Jake screamed. Everyone else that was watching the battle were confused by the outburst. Even Togepi was.

"Y-You think so? T-Thanks, I guess..." Tess said quietly as her face turned a little red.

I smirked. What a nice little start. But what is more important right now is to see how Sonic's Gym Battle will go.

"Okay, Chesnaught, use Seed Bomb!" Sonic demanded. Chesnaught roars, and a bunch of giant seeds were formed, highlighted with a green outline. One by one, he shot each of them at his opponent.

"Gorebyss, block em with Psychic!" Quentin shouted. And the seeds were floating in one place. Soon after, they were thrown aside as if they were not even a bother.

"Oh gosh!" Sonic exclaimed. I watched with close examination. Here's my thought: if Sonic tries this again, it's very likely Quentin will do the same thing. So Sonic should be ready to throw another attack to gain the advantage.

But I can't just blurt out a plan, I'd most likely get booted.

"Okay, now use Scald!" And there was that TM move. Now, the attack landing isn't the problem I have. It's if the attack makes a burn.

"Chesnaught, Pin Missile!" Sonic yelled. And Chesnaught blocks the opposing attack with his own.

"Okay, now use Seed Bomb! One more time!"

Okay, this was what I predicted if it would ever happen.

"Gorebyss, you know what to do. Psychic." Quentin said. And the pink fish did the same thing from before. I snapped my fingers.

"Huh? Nifty?" I got Sonic's attention. I raised my hand up a bit, and I pointed to the other side of the battlefield. I am terrible at sign language, so this was all I could come up with.

"O-Oh! Do it again!" Sonic exclaimed. As Gorebyss was done with the first set, another set was thrown at em. Super Effective.

"That was sick." I mumbled, happy to see that my little sign language worked. As much as that might be unhelpful, it might be as well, since I known Sonic for a long time, and he's that person who can get nervous at times.

He may be just a great as me, but if there's one thing he has a problem with... it's anxiety.

"Okay, Gorebyss. Time to show some swimming skills, why not?" Quentin chuckled. And Gorebyss dove under, now unseen by the public.

"Chesnaught, be on your guard." Sonic warned. It was just like before.

"Gorebyss, use Draining Kiss!" Quentin shouted. Unlike Wailmer, Gorebyss is way faster, so Chesnaught couldn't dodge it in time.

Some of Chesnaught's energy has been drained from the kiss, and Gorebyss gained some health back.

"Woah! Gorebyss is really fast!" Jake yelled.

"Yeah. That Fairy type move sure did a lot, now that Chesnaught is here, considering he's part Fighting type." I ranted.

"Yet Gorebyss is so beautiful. I don't know a lot about the Gym Leaders, and seeing this is so... amazing." Tess said in awe.

"It really is. The Gym Leaders are one of the toughest trainers here, along with the Elite Four. And let's not forget about the Champion." I reminded. And my attention was back again.

"Hang in here, Chesnaught! Can you keep on battling?" Sonic asked.

"Naught... Ches, Chesnaught!" The Grass starter roared.

"Glad to see your determination is back. Gorebyss, use Scald!" Quentin yelled.

"Chesnaught, quick! Block it with Spiky Shield!" Sonic exclaimed. Chesnaught turns around, and the shield around his back has gotten much more sharper.

It tore right through that water attack. But it's a special attack, so it didn't damage Gorebyss a bit.

"Okay, get ready Gorebyss. Dive again." Quentin commanded. And once again, the water Pokémon was unseen by us.

"We're gonna have to be faster, Chesnaught. I hope you're ready." Sonic whispered. He better be faster. Else there'd be a big amount of damage taken from a Draining Kiss.

"NOW!" Quentin screamed.

"Use Needle Arm! Make it fast!" Sonic shrieked. At just the right time when Gorebyss jumped, Chesnaught punches Gorebyss with his spiky arm.

The knockback was by so much, it actually made Gorebyss land on the ground. The swirly eyes were seen. Sonic has won this round as well.

"Gorebyss is unable to battle! Chesnaught wins!"

"Woah! That was incredible, Chesnaught! Your strength has gotten a huge boost!" Sonic cheered. Chesnaught smiled to see that his trainer was happy.

But Sonic had to worry about one more Pokémon left.

"I'm not finished just yet. Huntail, it's time to finish this fight!" Quentin yelled, and his last Pokémon was sent out.

Okay. I'm excited to see how this will turn out.

"Chesnaught, use Seed Bomb!" Sonic shouted.

"Huntail, dodge em." Quentin demanded. As as each of those seeds were coming, Huntail swims along the giant pool to dodge each of them.

"And now, jump and use Ice Fang!" Quentin continued. Huntail does so, his icy teeth crushing right on Chesnaught's right arm.

And somehow, there was white smoke formed. And as it disappeared, Chesnaught was frozen. Holy crap. That was a lucky shot.

"Oh no! Chesnaught!" Sonic yelled in worry.

"Woah! It's a rare chance that the opponent gets frozen if that move lands!" Jake shouted.

"That is true. I'm surprised that actually happened." I responded.

"I hope Sonic is okay." Tess said with a sigh. There's a rare chance. Getting unfrozen in this situation is... pretty much luck based.

"Huntail, use Scald." Quentin said. And the water makes contact with the iceberg that Chesnaught was stuck in. The water thawed right through it, and it took down Chesnaught easily.

"And now Chesnaught cannot battle anymore! Huntail wins this round!" Referee yelled. And now Sonic is down to one Pokémon.

"How did the one attack do so much?" Jake asked, totally confused by that.

"Well, there was a plan behind that," I reminded, "You see, Ice Fang did neutral damage because of the types. With the freeze, it got more lucky to take him down. Scald can burn the oppponent, so it just went right through the ice, like a boss. Because of both attacks really doing much, that's why Chesnaught was taken down. That, and Draining Kiss was a lot to handle when Gorebyss was still battling."

"How do you know about all that?" Tess asked.

"I just do. Studying really does a lot, you know?" I replied.

"Okay, now I'm done to one more Pokémon." Sonic mumbled, though I was able to hear him. I had lots of hope for my friend.

"Okay, Brionne. It's up to you!" Sonic yelled, and his last Pokémon is sent out. Brionne did a little twirl as she landed on the platform. But this will be a perfect advantage since Brionne can swim.

With the amount of water, this'll make this battle _way more_ easier.

"Brionne, start off with Aqua Jet!" Sonic shouted. Brionne surrounded herself in water, and rushed herself right at Huntail.

"Huntail, block it by using Scald." Quentin said. And hot water meets regular water collided. Unfortunately, Huntail got the advantage, so the attack pushed Brionne back.

"Woah. That was savage." I exclaimed in surprise. I mean, the Gym Leaders are pretty tough guys. That's a true fact.

"Okay, Huntail. I want you to prepare yourself and run off." Quentin commanded. Huntail nods, then dives underwater.

"I got it! Brionne, follow him!" Sonic yelled. And Brionne did the same thing. Unlike for me, I couldn't tell where those two were.

Yeah. Probably because I'm watching.

"Do you see her yet, Huntail?" Quentin mumbled to himself. Well, looks like he also has a good bond as well. That's what makes him keep on going.

There was a few seconds of silence. None of us could tell what is gonna happen.

"Now Huntail! Use Crunch!" Quentin yelled.

"Brionne! Don't let up! Try and counter it!" Sonic exclaimed. There was some more silence. The next thing I saw was Brionne being jumped out of the water, taking the attack that I heard earlier.

"And now Scald. Once again." Quentin reminded. As Brionne was falling back down, Huntail jumped out and hit her with another attack.

Brionne landed on one of the platforms once the second attack landed.

"Brionne! Can you still battle?" Sonic asked.

"Bri, bri!" The sea lion barked.

"We can't give up just yet! Use Disarming Voice!" Sonic shouted. Brionne yells, a pink heart attack being shot at her opponent.

"Huntail, dodge it, and then use Ice Fang!" Quentin yelled. Huntail's teeth turned an icy blue, and then dodge the attack. He swam up to Brionne in very fast speed. As a Water type, that's what makes him fast, as long as he's in water.

"Brionne! Icy Wind!" Sonic exclaimed. Brionne tried to counter the attack with her Ice attack. But Huntail knew that was gonna happen, so he dodges to the side, and attacks Brionne from there. It didn't do a lot, but it was enough to cost that much damage.

"Ah! Brionne!" Sonic shrieked. Brionne struggled to get up. She did, but she was getting weak will all those attacks coming way.

Sonic fell to his knees, and he lowered his head. The audience gasped, and began to whisper amongst themselves. Jake, Tess and I just stood there, shocked.

"I can't do this... I'm gonna lose..." Sonic mumbled. His voice was filled with a little fear.

"Is he okay?!" Tess shouted.

"He's getting really worried, Tess. I'm concerned for him just by looking at this!" I replied.

"But we have to help him! He needs to try and win this battle!" Jake yelled.

"Well then, we must cheer him on! That's what we're here for!" I yelled back.

"Sonic, come on! You can win this!" Tess called out.

"He won't here you like that! MAKE SOME NOISE! GET THE HELL UP!" I screamed. I got up as quickly as I can, then circle my hands over my mouth so I can make my words travel farther.

"Sonic! Come on! You can do this, bro!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"Sonic! We believe in you! We made it this far!" Jake screeched.

"Don't give up, Sonic! We know you can do it!" Tess yelled, while Togepi tried doing the same thing.

"DON'T GIVE UP! TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!" I screamed. (Star Fox reference, btw)

Sonic looked at us. It seems we have gotten his attention. Sonic smiled at us, and nodded. Then he got up and dusted himself off.

"Yeah, I will win! I won't lose! I will give everything I got!" Sonic yelled. Everyone cheered.

"That's the spirit, young trainer." Quentin responded. Me and my friends just sat down, surprised by this. Even I was shocked.

"Is Sonic... always like that?" Tess asked.

"Actually, no! Like I said, he gets nervous at times. But now he's more determined than usual! I'm impressed and speechless!" I ranted.

"Okay, Brionne, don't give up just yet! Use Bubblebeam!" Sonic shouted. And Brionne shot out a line of bubbles. Huntail prepared to dodge the attack.

But the bubbles already hit, it was way faster. This surprised all of us.

Brionne jumped into the air and yelled. Then it started glowing.

"Oh my Arceus! She's evolving!" Jake yelled.

"Aw yeah! This is gonna be cool!" I shouted in excitement. The evolution process began. When it was over, Brionne changed her appearance. Now she has white skin, is much bigger in size, has a long tail, and mermaid-like light blue hair, along with a pink starfish on the side of her head.

Brionne evolved into Primarina.

"Yay! Primarina! You have officially evolved!" Sonic cheered. Primarina just giggled and waved at Sonic.

"Impressive," Quentin complimented, "Evolution is most certainly the most awe inducing process in this world. And it can make this time much better. I'll be the judge of that. Huntail, use Scald!"

And Huntail shot its attack again. If there's anything about starters, it's that some of them have exclusive moves at their final evolution.

"Primarina, use Sparkling Aria!" Sonic yelled. Primarina's hair let loose, now flowing around. She stood taller with her tail, and a giant, blue orb was made. It was thrown, and Huntail couldn't prepare itself for that. Instead, the Scald just went inside the bubbles, making the attack more powerful.

"Woah! What was that move?" Jake asked.

"That is Sparkling Aria. It's Primarina's signature move," I explained, "It's a Water type attack that really does a good amount of damage. And in double battles, it goes for more than one person."

"Woah, dude. That's a long explanation right there." Tess giggled, slightly nervous by that.

"Hey, it's my thing. And I stick to it." I said with a shrug.

"Huntail, use Crunch." Quentin said. Huntail approaches to ready its powerful bite.

"Hee, Primarina! Use Icy Wind!" Sonic yelled. And Primarina blows her icy attack. But unlike last time, it was Huntail that was taking the hits. It seems the ice is more powerful than is was in her previous evolution. Well, evolution does improve some strength.

"Woah. I must say, I'm underestimating the power." Quentin said, pretty surprised.

"So am I. It's shocking." Sonic responded.

"Anyways... Huntail, use Ice Fang!" Quentin yelled.

"Quick, Primarina! Use Aqua Jet!" Sonic shouted. And the Aqua Jet is no different in this situation. The two Water types were getting close to each other.

"Now Primarina!" Sonic yelped. As soon as Huntail was about to chomp down and try to freeze Primarina, the mermaid Pokémon dodges out of the way, hitting Huntail with her tail in the process.

"And now finish this with Sparkling Aria!" Sonic screamed. Primarina's hair is loose again, and she lets out a high pitched note as many powerful bubbles form. And they all unleash right at Huntail.

Since Huntail was not prepared, he took the attacks one by one.

As soon as everything is silent for waiting to see what happens... Huntail fainted. Wow, not a single dive from the new evolution, and this was an amazing sight.

"Huntail is unable to battle! Primarina wins, which means the victory goes to the challenger!" The referee yelled, and confetti was thrown at Sonic's side as everyone cheered. Including me, and my other two friends.

That truly _was_ an intense battle.

* * *

"Yay! We did it, Primarina!" Sonic cheered. Primarina bounced over to Sonic. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and hugs him, rubbing her arms around Sonic's body. Sonic blushed slightly and chuckled.

"I'm glad you did good as well, Primarina." He said as he gently pushes Primarina off of him, to not get overwhelmed by her... feelings for him. Not _those_ kind of feelings, if I think I know what you're thinking.

"Great job, Sonic! You did awesome, as usual!" I shouted as I ran over to him, with Jake and Tess following right behind me.

"Nifty's right, Sonic! That was a great battle." Tess complimented. Togepi cheers as well, and she extends her arms to Sonic. Sonic grabs Togepi and carries her.

"Thanks, guys. I appreciate it." Sonic said bashfully. And then Quentin walked to us.

"Impressive work, Sonic. But like I mentioned, your journey has just begun. So don't let up, no matter what gets in your way." He said.

"I won't! I got my best friends by my side!" Sonic replied, his smile wide as ever. All of us smiled back.

"And as a reward for defeating me, take the Float Badge, and the TM for Scald." Quentin responded as he hands Sonic the two items. Sonic put the TM in the TM case, and the badge in his badge case. Now we have here badges.

"Along with Team Eclipse, I know about Kevin. He challenged this Gym before you guys even came." Quentin reminded.

"Oh?" I asked.

"Yeah, He was a pretty challenging trainer. Just as strong as you four," Quentin explained, "And with Sonic's determination, he's worth coming back on Kevin for the last battles that they have been through. Word does travel fast, so remind me of what'll happen the next time you two meet."

"I'll show Kevin how much stronger I have gotten." Sonic said, determination filled in his tone.

"Alright. Let's get ready to leave. The next town awaits us." I suggested. My friends nodded, and we left the Gym, while Quentin waves at us as we leave.

We've gotten so far.

* * *

We stood outside the Gym. 3 down, 5 more to go. This is one of the best times of my life that I've gotten to experience.

"Huh? I see something over there, at the beach." Sonic said as he pointed to something. But the beach was too far away.

"The heck do you see?" I asked.

"Let's go find out." Sonic replied. H walks ahead of us as we walk to the beach to see what Sonic sees exactly.

We finally made it to the beach, our shoes coming in contact with the hot sand. By the ocean waves, here was something that washed up on shore. It almost looks like...

a Pokémon egg. It was blue, and there was tiny yellow dots on the sides. And a huge red dot in the middle.

"It's a Pokémon egg." Sonic said, as he picked up the egg in his hands.

"What kind though?" Jake asked.

"I dunno." Sonic replied with a shrug.

"You know, I think I've seen this kind of egg before. I just don't remember what, though. I can't put my finger on it." I explained.

"Well, How about you take care of it then?" Tess suggested.

"Are you sure?" Sonic asked.

"Dude, you made me take care of Frillish. I think it's fair that way." Tess exclaimed with a fake pout look. All of us just chuckled at that.

"Sure. I'll do it." Sonic agreed. And that's the second egg that's coming with us. We're gonna have an army soon, against Team Eclipse.

"You know, this reminds me. Of a certain memory that I find myself proud of." Tess said.

"What kind of memory?" Jake asked.

"I actually went free diving in that ocean one time." Tess replied as she pointed to it.

"Wow! That's cool! You're a free diver, I never knew that!" I exclaimed.

"Heh heh... free diver in training, actually." Tess giggled nervously.

"I still think it's cool." I said bluntly, shrugging my shoulders.

"And about that memory... I've actually found a treasure chest underwater." Tess reminded.

"Woah! Can you tell us about it, Tess?!" Jake begged.

"Hee hee... sure." Tess let out a small giggle again. This seems interesting.

* * *

 **-Tess 12 years old POV-**

"Please Grandpa? I wanna try it this one time!" I begged as I looked at him.

"I'm really not sure, Tess, sweetie. It seems a little too dangerous, and I don't want you to risk it." He explained. Of course. He's always like this...

"Come on, Grandpa! Just this once. I just want to dive in the ocean. I've been training! I can do it!" I continued my pleads. And I just kept on doing it.

After some more begging, he finally gave in as he sighed.

"Alright. Let's see if anyone else is going out as well." Grandpa said.

"Yippee! Just give me a minute to get ready, I'll be right there!" I cheered. Ooh, this is exciting! I can't wait to try this out.

5 minutes later*

We are outside Rosecove City, in front of the beach. I wore my traditional clothes (it's the same, but just no hat or scarf). I saw a white boat that was heading out to head out to the sea. The owner of the boat turned out to be my free diving coach. He wore traditional life guard clothing, and he had brown hair and blue eyes, along with white flip flops.

"So, you wanna do this? In the ocean?" He asked.

"Of course I'm ready! It'll be a whole new experience for me!" I replied, a smile on my face.

"Heh, the girl is always eager. She was even more eager when she was little." Grandpa said.

"Well, do you have your stuff ready, Tess?" Coach asked me.

"My swimsuit is under my clothing, and my equipment is in this small bag right here." I responded as I show my coach the bag.

"Very well. Let's head out." He said. We all go inside the boat. Luckily, someone else was controlling it, so we were already heading out as soon as we got comfortable.

After about 2 minutes, we stopped. We were now viewing the vast, blue ocean. And I can see the beach from the distance.

"Alright, Tess. Whenever you're ready. It's all yours, kid." Coach said, and then walks aside.

"Tess. Sweetie. Be careful, okay?" Grandpa warned.

"I know, I know. You say that all the time." I joked. He gave me a kiss on the cheek before he waves at me.

"And don't go out too far!" He called out.

"I won't!" I yelled back. I looked down from the area I was standing on. I looked down at the ocean.

 _"I guess it's time now. I'm so excited."_ I thought. I slowly take off my clothes one by one, revealing my purple one piece swimsuit. I reach down to grab the stuff from my bag. It was just my mask and my flippers.

I grab the mask and pull it over my eyes, and I put the tightening part underneath my hair, since my hair is pretty long. And I put each of my yellow flippers on my feet.

"Phew... okay, here I go." I said to myself. I take a few deep breaths, small ones to start with. After a couple more, I take a huge breath and jumped from the boat, landing in the water with a big splash.

I immediately felt the pressure. It felt so different than in a pool. I swam down just a small bit, and then in a straight line.

As I was looking down while swimming, something caught my eye.

"Mmm?" I mumbled. What I saw was... huge. It was brown, and almost looked broken.

" _What is that...?"_ I thought. Before going down to it, I brought my head up to the surface for some air.

"I think I should check out what is down there." I said to myself. It seems like something worth exploring down there. I took a big deep breath, and flip myself forward, once again fully underwater.

I swam down to where the huge object was. I was kicking my feet slowly, but I was swimming pretty fast thanks to my flippers.

The object got bigger the closer I got to it. And I finally realized what it was.

 _"Woah! It's a sunken ship!"_ I thought. My eyes were wide. I have never seen a sunken ship in real life before. I knew this adventure would be great.

I kept on swimming around the ship. It looked old. Yet it looks so amazing, seeing it from under the clear ocean.

And then there was something else that I saw, and it got my attention real fast. In the center of the ship, there was a rusty red treasure chest.

 _"It even holds a treasure chest. Wow."_

I thought some more as I slowly swam over to the chest.

"Mmmbllblb..." I let out a worried gurgle, putting one of my hands over my mouth as a few bubbles escape. Oh gosh. I'm getting a little low on air.

 _"And I better hurry."_ I thought. I remove my hand from my mouth, and I open the treasure chest with my two hands. Fortunately, there wasn't a lock, so it was easy to open.

There wasn't a lot inside it. But what _was_ inside it... was truly amazing. I smiled at the sight. There were two objects: the first was a pearl necklace, and the second was a gold coin. And it had a heart in the middle of it.

Seeing it just made me very happy. I opened my mouth wide and let out a cloud of bubbles.

 _"Wow! This is amazing! A pearl necklace, and a gold coin!"_ I said in my mind, excited by the sight. But then... I realized the mistake I made.

"Gblblblblrrrmmmff!" I let out a painful gurgle, lots of bubbles coming out. I put both of my hands over my mouth and shut my eyes tightly. My lungs are burning. It hurts so much. I don't think I've been underwater this long before in my life.

 _"I need to get to the surface! I don't wanna drown!"_ I thought loudly. I grab the two objects with my right hand, and my left hand stayed over my mouth to prevent myself from inhaling the salt water.

With myself holding the objects tightly, I swam the fastest I can, back up to the surface.

"Blblblbpt! Mmmmmph..." Another moan was interrupted thanks to the water. My face turned a little blue, and my chest was heaving slightly. I felt a little scared. Ugh, why did I open my mouth? I should know better!

But I'm not gonna drown! I won't allow it!

After a few more seconds of swimming, I finally reach the surface, and I gasped for air. It felt so relieving now that air was being refilled in my lungs.

"Tess!" I heard Grandpa shout. But I barely heard him because of the amount of coughing I was having from being underwater for such a long time.

After my coughing died down, I slowly swam back to the boat. I climbed on, panting for my breath.

Both my coach and Grandpa walked over to us. I pull out the mask and put it over my forehead.

"Tess, sweetie? Are you alright?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine." I replied, still panting for air. I kept the objects in my hand. I wanted to surprise him.

"Tess, you know you should be more careful. How long were you underwater?"

"Uh... I think if I remember, it was about 1 minute and 18 seconds."

"You should really be careful of the time, Tess. You don't wanna go over your limit. You'll damage your lungs that way."

"I know. But I found something interesting."

"What did you find?" My coach asked me.

"While I was swimming, I ended up finding a treasure chest," I explained to them while smiling, "I went down to check it out, it was by a ship that sunk underwater. I opened the chest, and I found these: a pearl necklace. And a gold coin that had a heart shape in the middle of it. You don't see those every day. I could've explored some more of the ship... that is, if I could hold my breath for a longer time."

I showed the two the objects that I found on my little adventure.

"You're gonna go far, Tess. That's a start of what you'll be able to accomplish." Coach cheered.

"I'm so proud of you, Tess. Though it is wary to be careful the next time, I think that's really good of what you found." Grandpa added.

"Thanks, guys. I'm glad you think that." I said while smiling.

This is a day I will never forget.

* * *

 **-Nifty's POV-**

 ***present time and scene***

"Wow! I'm impressed! That was a cool find, Tess!" I complimented as she finished the story.

"I gave my Grandpa the pearl necklace. But I still have the coin." Tess said, and she pulled out the coin. She was right. It _did_ have a heart in the middle.

"You should do it again sometime, Tess! And we can come with you!" Jake cheered.

"Excuse me?" I exclaimed with a scowling look. While that seems good, I have no experience on diving. So keep that in mind.

At least I know how to freaking swim.

"Of course you can! Maybe some other day, if we ever get the chance!" Tess agreed. And we all just shared responses. Perhaps it seems nice, to try something once with a friend.

As soon as all of our reactions are done, I heard chattering. I look over by the city, and I saw three people. They each had light skin, and they had similar, yet different clothing. One had a yellow shirt, one other had a blue one, and the last guy had a red one. The same color goes for each of their other clothing, including pants and shoes (actually, that's the only ones.)

The yellow one's hair color is blonde, the blue one's being brown, and the red one's being black.

"Do you think maybe they know about the egg?" Jake asked.

"Let's go talk to them." Sonic replied. And we walk to the three guys.

But... why do I feel something familiar? That I know too well.

"Excuse me. Do any of you know what this egg is?" Sonic asked, interrupting the conversation. Luckily, they didn't seem to find that offending.

The men turned around. I noticed the logos on their shirts. The yellow one had the logo of Team Instinct. The blue one had the logo of Team Mystic.

And the red one was Team Valor.

Oh my freaking Arceus. A Team Valor member, right in front of me. I just stared at them.

"I dunno, dude. It's not like any egg I've ever seen." The person with the yellow shirt replied.

"Yeah. It looks different." The blue shirt guy added.

"Maybe you should view it in a book to find out. And... huh?" The red guy noticed me. Mostly towards my shirt.

"Yo, we got a Team Valor member over here!" The guy laughed. It was with us though.

"Actually, I'm a fan. Not a member." I reminded him.

"Ah, that's fine. You've been into us for a long time?" The man asked.

"Since I was little. The team inspired me." I replied. Jake, Tess and Sonic seemed happy to see this. Even they were surprised to see those members just wandering around town.

"Well, if you liked Team Valor for a long time... would you like me to put a signature? On a notebook or anything?" The guy suggested. I held my pointer finger up. I inhale deeply through my nose, and exhale it out, through my mouth.

"It would be an honor." I responded. I quickly got out my phone, and then I opened some drawing app. And the guy put in his name on the blank touch-sensitive page.

I turned the phone back to me. The person's name is "Antonio". Oh my Arceus, seeing this nearly made me pass out. But I managed to keep my cool.

"Anyway, me and my pals of the other teams got other stuff to do. Catch ya later, if we see you guys again." Antonio said, and then walks away, with his friends following him.

"Woah! You must be happy to see a Team Valor member, Nifty!" Sonic said as the group walk away completely.

"Hell yeah I'm happy! This has been such an amazing day! If that was Candela who signed, I would've passed out." I shouted in excitement. Jake and Tess just chuckled.

"You're on step closer to seeing them, Nifty. Maybe it might come true." Jake cheered.

"Yeah. I'd certainly like to see it." Tess added.

"I sure hope so, you guys." I said with a nod. And so, we make our way to the next part of our adventure.

First stop was the Pokémon Center. To heal after that battle Sonic has been through. It was an awesome experience this day. I saw Sonic win, he got an egg, Tess had that little treasure from 4 years ago, and I met an _actual member of Team Valor!_

Can this day get any better?

* * *

 **A/N: So, there we go :D. Antonio is a minor character, so he won't play many parts. But he will make a couple cameo appearances later on in the adventure. I'm so happy this chapter is made, it really made my day. :p**

 **Anyway, have a great day, y'all! See you next time! ;)**

 **P.S: The Manaphy egg is a reference to the event, and Pokémon Ranger: Temple of the Sea. Make sure to remember that. :D**


	15. Q&A Announcement

Heyo, **this is not a new chapter that I'm making right now. But I have something else for you viewers to do while you wait for it right now.**

 **I officially announce that I'm hosting my very first Pokémon Brick Bronze Q &A! :D**

 **So here's how it'll work. You can ask a question to the Admin Story cast, or to me in general. If you have a question about Loomian Legacy, don't ask about that since the cast only got so far.**

 **But if the Loomian question is at me, I'll be happy to answer it.**

 **Any of you can ask a total of 3 questions. If you have less, that is fine. Just no more than 3.**

 **The Q &A will come out on April 18th, the day PBB got deleted. So make sure to ask those questions. The cast and I would really like to know. ;)**

 **Oh, and one more thing. The questions can be shared either in the reviews, or you can send me a PM. Anyone is free to participate.**

 **See ya next time! :p**


	16. Q&A No 1

**It's time. The QA is about to begin. Today is the day that Pokémon Brick Bronze got deleted, and since we're all hyped for Loomian Legacy, I decided to make this for the cast of the Admin Story.**

 **There isn't a lot of questions, but I didn't expect a lot anyway. Anyway, let's get this show on the road. ;)**

 **First up, we have a list from someone who wanted to be featured in the Admin Story: xJustinx. He has 3 questions that he has for the cast. Let's see each question individually, and let these characters share their answers.**

* * *

 **xJustinx's List:**

1\. To Nifty: What do you think Team Eclipse is up to?

His response: I dunno, man. *shrugs* All I know is that those guys are doing something bad. If they have my parents, I know they're gonna get a little lesson from me when I see their leader.

he smiles and pumps his fist*

But I got my friends by my side, so there's no way Team Eclipse stands a chance.

X

2\. To Sonic: Who is stronger, Jake or Tess?

His response: Hmm... that's a good question. You know, Nifty and I never battled Tess yet, but we have a look at her Pokémon. I can't really decide until we get a close look. So for now, I'd say they're both equal. *smiles*

X

3\. To Tess: Do you think Jake is a little affectionate?

Her response: U-Uh, well... sometimes he acts kinda nervous, but then acts tough. Does he really feel like _that_ though?

 **And that's Justin's list. Now we move onto a Guest, who you'll see in the review section of my recent stories. Let's see what questions she has. But these ones are for me in general. :D**

* * *

1\. If Pokémon Brick Bronze was an anime, would Ash and Team Rocket be in it?

Answer: Really good question. Nifty mentioned Ash before in a Chapter because of Battle Bond. So to answer it, yes, they would be in a Brick Bronze anime, and join in with the cast of the Admin Story.

Even though Admin Story is considered kinda like an anime, it would still be good if Ash and the famous Team Rocket trio were to join in. I would also imagine one of those scenes later on, where Team Rocket would help Ash defeat Team Eclipse together, just like what happened with Team Plasma And Team Flare.

X

2\. I know this isn't a Pokémon question, but if Bowser was a fan of the Squid Sisters, which one would he be a fan of?

Before I answer, I think this seems interesting. As a Splatoon fanfic writer, I think it'll be necessary to answer this one as well. It's a good one also.

Answer: If that would happen, I'd say Bowser would like Callie more than Marie. Reason is because Bomb Rush Blush. It's face paced, and involves bombs. I dunno, it's just a theory I had in mind.

* * *

 **But that's it for this first QA! I hope y'all enjoyed it, even though it was very short.**

 **The next chapter is being made, so make sure to test your patience and wait.**

 **Bye! :)**


	17. Gardening (filler)

**Hey guys. Sorry for being absent on this story right now. I've been having lots of life issues to deal with, along with finals. So that's been a lot for me right now.**

 **To keep this story going, I'm gonna use this filler chapter to make y'all know this story isn't going anywhere. This chapter is another parody, based off a scene from Top Gear. And it's also not connected to this story, just a random skit. XD**

 **So here's what I have. Enjoy! :)**

 **P.S.: This is the only chapter with a third person POV. Rest is in Nifty's POV for the rest of time, unless there are some memories that explain so.**

* * *

"Well, that's the plan, you guys," Tess said, "For this specific flower bed, Nifty... you're doing the hoeing."

And that was their current place: near a flower bed. The group decided to help out someone with their gardening. And they couldn't be much more happier to oblige.

"I am _not_ doing any hoeing." Nifty groaned.

"I don't even know what hoeing is." Jake said in embarrassment. Sonic seemed confused on why Jake said that.

"Oh, Okay, well hoeing is-" Tess started.

"Heh, you don't need a hoe. There's only one tool you need for gardening." Nifty interrupted her while putting his pointer finger up in the air.

"Eh?" Sonic mumbled.

"And I got it." Nifty said while walking away to grab something.

"It's a hammer." Jake suggested.

"Yeah, I think so too." Sonic added.

"It'll be a hammer." Tess said with a smile. She turned around and saw Nifty with a Nerf Gun. Her mouth was left wide open.

"That is _not_ a hammer!" She screamed.

"This is not a hoe. It's all we..." Nifty replied, but then burst out laughing, much to his friends' confusion. After 3 more seconds, the Valor fan finally calmed down.

"No, it isn't," He said bluntly, "No, if you want to remove a plant, say... okay, here are no fissiles this time around. Imagine their fissiles; how do you get them up?"

"Uh... well, you take one of these, which is a trowel." Tess said as she grabbed a trowel nearby her.

"Yeah. Go on." Nifty responded.

"And then you approach it like that, then you..." Tess reaches down to a small plant, digging the trowel underneath it, "Dig around it, lift it... and there it is!"

Tess showed Nifty the small plant in her hands. Luckily, all of them were wearing gloves.

"That took you..." Nifty thought for a moment.

"About thirty seconds." Tess sighed.

"Dirty fingernails."

"Wha-"

"Cricked back."

"It's gardening! That's what you do!" Tess yelled.

"Okay, now let me show you how I would remove it, okay?" Nifty smirked as he kneels to some more small plants.

"See these three here? Ready?" Nifty pulled down on the trigger, and the fake bullet plowed through the dirt, forcing the plant to come out.

Jake and Tess were surprised, but Sonic felt like Nifty would do something like this.

"W-Well, granted, they're gone, but you can't-" Tess exclaimed.

"They're gone!" Nifty said proudly.

"You can't garden with a Nerf gun!" Tess shouted angrily.

"They have _ceased_ to exist!" Nifty said, faking an evil tone. He looks at the toy gun, his smirk wider.

"Observe the genius of my gardening!" Nifty cheered.

"I much rather think he should've used a hammer..." Tess whispered to Sonic.

"Well, here you got Nifty: always thinking outside the box." Sonic said, showing a smile. After all, he knew Nifty very well.

That was what Nifty really likes doing.

* * *

 **A/N: That's it. I'll try to work hard on my stories since summer is almost here (like, only a couple more days), but that's all I have to offer.**

 **Cya! ;)**


	18. The Haunted Manor

**I really feel like this story gets a LOT better each time another chapter is released. When Anthian City is here, things will get REALLY fun.**

 **But here's this chapter. Enjoy! :D**

* * *

Time has passed. It has been a few minutes after those events that happened recently. Yep, this day was officially one of the best I have ever been in.

As those few minutes passed by, we were getting ready to travel to Route 9. Apparently, following this route and some more places, and that'll be where the next city is.

And that might be where we will encounter Justin again.

Jake and Tess were right by the gate, talking to each other. They were using this time to pack and get ready. Which is weird, because Sonic and I are pretty fast. But I guess they had less stuff, so I see why.

I did have some stuff back at my home, but do you _really_ wanna see me _walk_ all the way back to Mitis Town? Exactly. No is the answer you are looking for.

But I had some stuff that is prepared for our long walk. Our friends seemed to notice Sonic and I as we approach the gate.

"Oh, look. Nifty and Sonic are here now." Tess pointed out. Jake turned his head to us, and he waves. Both of us wave back.

"Seriously. That Gym had nothing on us. It's like we're some kind of chosen ones or something," I explained, "But then again, it does get kinda cliche. Not that I'm against it, though. It's the third gym, and the ideal types were Water."

"Water type Pokémon are okay, but my ideal Pokémon type is Dragon." Tess said. Yeah. It does make sense since considering her hair is purple (still dunno if it's dyed, and I'm way too lazy to ask her).

"Are you not gonna battle the Gym, Tess?" Sonic asked.

"I would go fight the Gym Leader, but I'm more interested in adventure than I am in earning badges." Tess replied.

"Heh. Yeah, me too." Jake added, in an awkward tone. I can understand why. Jake only fought the gyms in Silvent and Brimber City.

But is he really gonna cancel out of the challenges? Eh, ok, I guess. That's Jake for ya.

"Don't you already have a couple badges, Jake?" Tess asked as she turned to him. Jake seemed surprised by that. He started stammering, and it left us all confused.

"You ok, Jake?" Sonic asked as he tilted his head. I never knew Jake was shy whenever he was in front of Tess.

No, screw that. Shy isn't the word. The freaking word is _embarrassed._

Yep. Jake has never fully talked to a girl before. That's... ridiculous. I've seen romance movies before, and some stuff gets old really fast. But I've talked to a few girls before in high school.

But I never had a crush on one. And I don't plan on it. Not only does it mean to get attention a lot, but I also know the... _other_ content that a couple has.

And that content is exactly why I don't want a girlfriend...

"Ummm, so who's ready to move on now?" Jake stuttered, and then yelled out his answer.

"Uh-Huh..." I bluntly said, crossing my arms and giving Jake a suspicious look.

"Well, there is still so much to see, and we still haven't found Nifty's and Sonic's parents." Jake reminded.

"Yeah. All we know is that some random group just abducted them." I said.

"Oh yes. Jake was just telling me about the situation, you two. That is just plain awful. I promise to help you in anyway I can." Tess responded as she frowns, feeling sorry for us.

"Thanks for the help, Tess. Considering how brave you are at times, I think Team Eclipse will give our parents back in no time." Sonic cheered.

"You are so nice and beautiful, Tess." Jake said dreamily as he stares at Tess. Just like before, his eyes turn into cartoonish hearts as his face turns a little red, admiring the beauty he is seeing in his crush.

"I'm what?" Tess asked as she turned to him, confused. Jake snapped out of his trance, and his face turned even more red. Good lord. Jake really needs some practice.

"Oh, uh... I said you're so bored waiting around here. Let's go on ahead." Jake blurted out, and points to the gate.

"Oh yeah. Let's go." Tess agreed, showing Jake a small smile. And then she turned back to us.

"We'll see you on the other side of the gate, Nifty and Sonic. Come on through when you two are ready." She said, and then walks ahead, with Jake following behind.

"You ready, dude?" I asked.

"Definitely! I can't wait to see what else will await us in this place!" Sonic replied. I nod, and then walk inside the gate. Just as I thought, Sonic is behind me.

* * *

When we exit the gate, we look at the area around us. This is Route 9. It's a giant forest, apparently. There were trees almost everywhere.

And a huge one was right in the middle ahead of us.

"Alright! Nifty and Sonic are here!" Jake cheered. Tess chuckled at Jake's enthusiasm. Sonic and I walk to our other friends.

"Looks like we're all ready to go." Jake said.

"Yeah, I am." I responded.

"And so am I!" Sonic added.

"Actually, before we go anywhere, I would like to suggest we do something first." Tess said.

"Oh, ok. What do you have in mind?" Jake asked.

"Well, I know you three are tough trainers," Tess reminded, "I'm curious which one of you is stronger."

"Oh. Uh... well, that be me, of course! Right, Nifty? Sonic?" Jake asked, a little nervousness in his tone.

"Are you sure about that?" I joked.

"Actually, what I'm really asking is if you could let me watch you battle each other. I would also like to battle the winner of your match." Tess explained.

"You're really trying to set up some rules, ain't cha? Heh, a battle before we even leave. I like that idea." I responded, shrugging my shoulders.

"I know this seems kinda sudden, but I want to make sure that you three are tough if I'm going to be traveling with you," Tess sighed, "And if the winner of the match can beat me, then I know that you are without a doubt very strong trainers."

 _"But there's 4 of us..."_ I thought. I looked at Sonic, and he was thinking as well.

"Hmm. I guess I wasn't really prepared for this. I don't think Nifty and Sonic are either, so maybe we should do this another time?" Jake whined.

"Arceus dang it, Jake." I groaned with a face palm.

"Well, if you're afraid to battle these two, then we'll just have our match without you." Tess said with a smug smile. Yeah, girls are pretty smug ones as well, I'll give ya that.

"You aren't afraid of a friendly little fight, are you, guys?" Tess teased.

"Hell no! I could defeat you with my eyes closed, blindfolded, and both my hands tied behind my back, while also being stuck in a machine!" I boasted.

"T-That's a little much." Tess said, cringing at my violence in that sentence.

"Come on, it's a joke." I exclaimed, moving my arms in the "What the heck, man" kinda motion.

"W-Wait! I-I'm not afraid. I-I just don't think it's fair to these two is all." Jake stammered.

"Nifty and Sonic seem fine with it." Tess pointed out.

"Oh. Well, in that case, I guess we should have a battle." Jake blurted out.

"Oh! Guys, I have a good idea!" Sonic yelled. And it got our attention.

"What do you have in mind, dude?" I asked.

"We should have a double battle! We'll split in teams. Me and Nifty against you and Jake!" Sonic suggested.

"Hmm... you know, that's a pretty good idea." Tess said, agreeing to the suggestion.

"Sorry, you two, but I won't be going easy." Jake warned.

"And I won't back down either." Tess added.

"I don't expect you guys to go easy anyway." I shrugged.

"Welp, here we go!" Sonic cheered. So Sonic and I back up a lot of spaces so we can prepare for our battle. This seems nice.

I can't wait to see how this tag battle will go.

"Vaporeon! Go!" Jake shouted, sending out his first Pokémon.

"You too, Gabite!" Tess yelled, sending out her first Pokémon. Both of them look ready for a battle. Yeah, this'll definitely turn out well.

"Ok, Tyrunt. You're up first!" I called out, and threw my Poke Ball high into the air. It opens, and Tyrunt lands on the floor, roaring as he lands.

"Togepi, are you ready to battle?" Sonic asked. Togepi cheers and nods, while doing a little happy dance.

"Woah. You sure that Togepi can fight, dude?" I asked.

"Definitely! Togepi saw how I fought in the Gym, and she even helped stopped Team Eclipse. I think she has a chance in this battle." Sonic responded, as he set the mysterious egg next to him. It was in the same container that Togepi was in before she hatched.

"Aight, suit yourself." I said with a shrug. And Sonic responds with a simple nod.

"Kay, I'm gonna make the first initiative. Tyrunt, use Dragon Claw on Gabite!" I shouted. Tyrunt growls, an prepares to use his move. His claws turn purple, and he runs towards Gabite.

The move lands. A direct hit.

"Holy crap!" Tess yelled.

"Don't worry, Tess! I'll help you out! Vaporeon, use Aurora Beam!" Jake shouted.

"Block it with Ancient Power!" I called out. And the two moves collide, creating a small cloud of smoke.

"Nice shot, Nifty!" Sonic complimented.

"Thanks, man." I replied.

"And now let's see how Togepi does. Use Metronome." Sonic said. And Togepi does her little distraction: waggling her pointer finger. A randomized move will be made.

A giant wave of lightning was shot. The move was Shock Wave. Tyrunt easily took the hit, Vaporeon took a lot of damage thanks to the weakness, and Gabite was completely unaffected.

"Whoa! That's so much to handle!" Jake whined.

"You said you weren't gonna go easy." I teased.

"Surely. Okay, Gabite, use Sand Tomb on Tyrunt!" Tess yelled. Gabite creates a small tornado of sand. Tyrunt tried to run away, but the move caught him.

"Ooh! Vaporeon, use Water Pulse on Togepi!" Jake shouted.

"Aha! I got it! Togepi, run near the Sand Tomb!" Sonic exclaimed. Togepi seemed dumbfounded, but she did it. The Water Pulse got closer...

"And now dodge it!" Sonic screamed. At the last second, Togepi jumps out of the way. Or more likely fell. The Water Pulse hit the Sand Tomb, and it went away. That was sweet.

"Huh?! H-How was that possible?" Jake yelled, completely surprised.

"Ah, it's just a little something called planning." I responded. And I had that look. It is time for a combo attack. But since Togepi really only knows Metronome, it might be tricky.

"Togepi, use Metronome again." Sonic said. Here comes another randomized move. I was surprised when I saw it was Ice Beam.

"Tyrunt, use Ancient Power on the beam!" I yelled. As the rocks were formed, they come in contact with the Ice Beam, and they become icy rocks.

Both Gabite and Vaporeon took the attacks. This time, both fainted when it landed. I mean, Vaporeon took the Shock Wave, and Gabite has a huge weakness against Ice types.

"Oh my Arceus. I've... never seen anything like this. Let alone, actually seeing one." Tess ranted.

"Yeah. I've seen some combo attacks before in my life. It seemed necessary to do since Sonic and I really trust each other." I explained.

"Tess! I think we should do a combo attack!" Jake suggested.

"Well... I mean, I could try." Tess said with a shrug.

"It takes some practice, you two. Don't fret." Sonic responded.

"Anyhow, what do you say we get back to the battle?" I reminded.

"Oh! Right! Nidorino, let's go!" Jake yelled, and sends out his second Pokémon.

"Join in as well, Shelgon!" Tess added, and her second Dragon type was sent out.

"Hey, Tyrunt. Do you have the strength to continue?" I asked. Tyrunt growls as an agreement.

"Yeah, that's what's up! Let's keep going then!" I shouted, nearly jumping high into the air.

"Okay, Shelgon. Get ready for some gruesome attacks! Use Focus Energy!" Tess yelled. Preparing itself for whatever to expect, Shelgon gets pumped, raising the chance of a critical hit.

"Nidorino, use Horn Attack on Togepi!" Jake demanded.

But before the attack landed, Tyrunt jumps in front of Togepi and took it. Luckily, since Horn Attack is a Normal type move, it didn't do a lot.

Togepi started in awe. It felt nice to see partners just jump at the opportunity to help others.

"Now use Crunch." I said. Nidorino caught that, and tried to run away. But Tyrunt caught him in time, making Nidorino take massive damage.

"Hang on, Jake! Shelgon! Use Dragon Claw!" Tess shouted.

"Block it with yours as well!" I shrieked. And the two Dragon types collided with their claws hitting each other.

Looking closer, I see Tyrunt do the same attack with his other arm, and Shelgon took it, but he still seemed alright. It is kinda bulky, I won't lie...

"H-Huh? Nifty, this is way too much for me to comprehend." Tess whined.

"You're telling me you haven't seen a battle before?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. But I'm not sure if they're supposed to be this complicated." Tess replied.

"Nidorino! Poison Sting!" Jake yelled. But since there was no target specified, Nidorino tried to go for both of them.

"Ancient Power, quick!" I shouted. And Tyrunt counters the attack with his only Rock type move. Togepi also manages to jump out of the way, with the sting going right by her.

Togepi lets out a long, yet cute, yawn. Yeah... uh, this is the move. It was headed towards Nidorino, and as soon as it made contact, Nidorino felt drowsy.

"Oh no! Stay strong, Nidorino!" Jake cried.

"Hey, Jake! I'm with you here, don't forget that!" Tess reminded.

"Yes, I know! And I know that you'll be there for me, Tess!" Jake yelled. I managed to stifle a laugh.

"Okay, Tyrunt. Use Dragon Claw on Nidorino!" I shouted. And since Nidorino was still feeling the effects of Yawn, he took the hit very easily.

"And Togepi! Metronome!" Sonic added. Let's see what randomized move is picked.

As soon as the pointing was done, Togepi began to form a bunch of copies of herself. Yeah, the move was Double Team.

"Nidorino! Fury Attack! Let's go!" Jake yelled.

"Hey, Tyrunt. Just stay still. I have an idea." I whispered. Luckily, he agrees with my plan. Nidorino runs up to Tyrunt, and begins attacking him at full force. It was even a lucky 5.

But Tyrunt didn't budge one bit.

"Finish this with Ancient Power." I said. And the rocks hit, and they were faster than usual. There was no way he could dodge that.

Nidorino faints when it lands. Heh, and Jake said he wasn't gonna go easy on us. I guess he just doesn't truly know the outcomes of what to do in different battle situations. With us, it goes just fine. But _against_ us... welp, apparently, that's a different story.

"Ohhh noooooooo!" Jake screamed. All of us manage to giggle at that loud yell.

"Jake, calm down. You're gonna scare some people." Tess teased, giggling some more afterwards.

"O-Oh! Right, I meant to do that! Sometimes, real men gotta let out a huge scream like never before!" Jake reminded, trying to toughen himself up. I face palmed. That, is by far, the most _ridiculous_ thing I have ever heard in my life on the face of this Earth.

"You still up for the challenge?" Sonic asked in curiosity.

"Of course I am! Because my next Pokémon that will battle... is you, Zebstrika!" Jake shouted, and threw his next Poke Ball after he returned Nidorino.

So it seems his Blitzle evolved. Time to think of the ups and downs of what to expect.

"Okay, Tyrunt. Return." I said, returning Tyrunt to his ball.

"You too, Togepi." Sonic added. Upon saying that, Togepi waddled over to her trainer, standing by his side.

"And now... come on out, Charizard!" I shouted, and sent my next Pokémon out. Once Charizard is out, he lets out a mighty roar. Heh, he ain't backing down one bit.

"Join in on this fight, Primarina!" Sonic yelled, and he sent out his Pokémon that will assist with mine. But this seems like a perfect advantage.

Dragon types are weak to Fairy types. And Primarina happens to be a Water and Fairy type.

So for Tess, it doesn't look too good for her.

"Use Sparkling Aria!" Sonic exclaimed. And like in the Gym battle I saw, her signature move is being used. Like the info that I knew, it went for both Zebstrika and Shelgon.

But Shelgon took the hit since he resists Water type moves. But he did stumble.

"Shelgon, hang in there! Use Headbutt on Charizard!" Tess shouted.

"No ya don't! Charizard, block it!" I yelled. Shelgon growls and is now using all his energy on his one attack. Charizard blocks it by grabbing Shelgon with his brute hands, slowing him down.

Shelgon tried to go faster, but Charizard didn't allow that.

"And now use Wing Attack." I said. Once Shelgon was tired from his last attack, Charizard quickly uses his own.

And Shelgon fainted. I guess the Dragon Claw from Tyrunt really _did_ do something.

"Zebstrika, use Spark!" Jake yelled.

"Primarina, quick! Use Bubble Beam!" Sonic shouted. Zebstrika does his physical move, while Primarina counters it with a Special move.

Even though Zebstrika had the advantage, he pulled back and stopped his attack.

"Charizard, Flame Burst." I exclaimed. Zebstrika didn't see the attack since everything was happening so fast.

But it seems that Zebstrika still manages to pull through. Yeah, he ain't going down that easily.

"Hey, Zebstrika! You okay?" Jake asked.

"Strika!" The black and white zebra brayed as his response.

"Okay, then let's see how these two will go against a Flame Charge!" Jake yelled. Zebstrika surrounded himself in fire, and since Jake ONCE AGAIN didn't specify a target, he picked Primarina.

"Use Sparkling Aria!" Sonic exclaimed. With a special attack, Primarina tries to counter it. But Zebstrika avoided every bomb there is right now.

But unfortunately for Jake, Primarina sidesteps to avoid the incoming attack.

"Okay, Primarina. Return for now. Will you agree to let Chesnaught finish the fight?" Sonic asked. Upon hearing Chesnaught, Primarina looked disappointed. But she just annoyingly sighed, then nods.

"I'm glad you understand." Sonic responded, and returned Primarina to her ball, showing a small smile before she was completely inside. Then Sonic sends out Chesnaught to finish the fight.

"Wow! That was a close one, Jake!" Tess complimented as I was looking at what happened from that last attack.

"Oh. T-Thanks, Tess." Jake said as he slightly looks down, trying to prevent himself from blushing.

"Now let me join in to help ya! Axew, here we go!" Tess shouted, and she sent out her last Pokémon. I mean, she does have Frillish...

But considering the trauma that Frillish had with Kevin, I think it was necessary if Tess didn't let him battle just yet.

"Okay, Axew, use Slash on Charizard!" Tess shouted.

"Use Flame Burst on the ground!" I demanded. And he did so. There was smoke in the way, so I couldn't see Axew.

But he did manage to trip from the outcome of the Flame Burst hitting the ground.

"Zebstrika, use Spark! On Chesnaught!" Jake yelled. Sonic smiled as Zebstrika prepares itself.

"Chesnaught! Spiky Shield!" Sonic shouted. Chesnaught turns around as more spikes appear on the back of his shield.

Zebstrika collided with the spikes, taking damage as he was knocked back.

"And now use Needle Arm!" Sonic continued. And Zebstrika got rammed by the sudden attack that came afterwards.

It was finally enough to take him down.

"Oh gosh. This... doesn't look to good." Jake mumbled, a little worried.

"These two don't back down. But we should at least try." Tess said.

"Okay, but this is my last Pokémon..." Jake responded, and then threw another Poke Ball. And the new Pokémon that Jake has caught turned out to be...

Slowpoke.

Eh, okay. I guess it'll get better when it evolves.

"Okay, Slowpoke, use Confusion!" Jake shouted. Slowpoke's eyes turn a bright blue, and he started levitating Charizard and Chesnaught. Then he threw both of them to a wall.

Charizard easily shook it off as he claws the rocky wall. Chesnaught also seemed alright. Both of them are pretty bulky.

"Axew! Use Dragon Claw on Chesnaught!" Tess yelled.

"Chesnaught, use Seed Bomb!" Sonic commanded. When the bombs got closer, Axes started screaming as he ran away from each of them.

But the last one managed to make the small Dragon Pokémon trip.

"Fly over and use Metal Claw!" I screamed. And it knocked Axew back.

But he still managed to pull through.

"Slowpoke, use Water Pulse!" Jake yelled.

Why hasn't he gone for a specific target yet...

"Charizard, dodge it, and then use Wing Attack!" I shouted. Charizard avoids it by moving to the left side, then he rushes over at Slowpoke and slaps him with his giant wings.

"Axew! False Swipe!" Tess shouted.

"And Slowpoke! Use Headbutt!" Jake screamed.

I smirked. I looked at Sonic and cleared my throat, getting his attention. I put my hand up in the air, then pointed at it with my other hand, and then I slammed my fist on my hand, making a small "SMACK" sound.

"Okay! Chesnaught, use Seed Bomb, one last time!" Sonic yelled. Chesnaught did as he was told. The small bombs were in the air. So this is my chance.

"Charizard, use Flame Burst on the Seed Bombs!" I shrieked. As soon as those flames made contact, those bombs were _literally_ on fire, but they weren't melting (surprisingly).

The two had no way of being able to dodge. Especially Slowpoke, because... come on, SLOW is in its name.

Each bomb went for different opponents. Both Axew and Slowpoke fainted as soon as it was done.

"Wait... did I really lose?" Tess asked herself, as she looked at Axew in shock.

"That was unexpected..." Jake added. This battle was over.

It turned out pretty well.

* * *

Sonic and I return our Pokémon, then we gave each other a high five.

"I might've... gone a little _too_ easy on those two." Jake mumbled to himself. Sonic and I ended up hearing it, and we chuckled.

Tess and Jake return their fainted Pokémon back.

"Oh my Arceus! You two really _are_ strong trainers!" Tess exclaimed in astonishment.

"Yeah. We are kinda experienced." I said with a shrug.

"I thought for sure that we would win. I don't really know what happened. Maybe this is what my grandfather meant when he said I was too reckless. I must've placed too much confidence in myself." Tess responded, a little embarrassed as she explained that last part.

"Well, all you need is some practice. You'll get better in no time!" Sonic complimented.

"True. Overconfidence isn't really a good thing." I added.

"You aren't reckless, Tess! You're a _great_ trainer!" Jake yelled, trying his best to cheer her up. I mean, it's also true. Tess is a good Pokémon trainer.

I'm also kinda surprised that she didn't use Frillish. I guess maybe it wasn't time yet.

"I could tell that you and your Pokémon have been in many great battles together." Jake continued.

"Actually, if we're being honest here, that was my first _real_ battle." Tess admitted.

"Say what now?" I nearly yelled.

"Wait, what?" Jake yelped.

"What do you mean, Tess?" Sonic asked.

"My grandfather would never let me go out and challenge other real trainers because he thought I would hurt myself," Tess explained, "My Pokémon and I have only trained with each other. It's been a struggle to teach them what they know now."

"Wow, I wouldn't have guessed." Jake said as he rubs the back of his neck, kinda embarrassed from his assumption.

"Same. I mean, you actually did pretty good for your first battle." I complimented.

"Oh, Tess. Why didn't you let Frillish battle?" Sonic asked.

"You did say he was released by his original trainer. I just thought he isn't ready considering all that he had to go through." Tess replied.

"I still think the battle was fine." I said.

"It was. And Tess, you are a great partner. You seemed so confident, and..." Jake started.

"Reckless. I know." Tess interrupted with an unamused sigh. Jake was surprised, and he waved his arms frantically, trying to say that he wasn't going to say that.

"No, not at all! I was going to say capable." He reminded. Tess shows a smile from that one sentence.

"Well, thanks, Jake." She said. Jake put his hands over his face, trying to hide an incoming blush.

"Anyway, now you know a little more about me. One of my hopes in setting out on this adventure with you is to become a real Pokémon trainer. I want my Pokémon and I to grow stronger together." Tess explained.

"Well, I know you'll be great." Jake said as he puts his hands behind his back.

"Thanks, Jake." Tess responded.

"Oh, uh, don't mention it." Jake replied, and then slightly looks away, kinda embarrassed. Tess looked confused as she raises an eyebrow. But she shrugs it off.

"So, where to now?" Jake asked. Tess turned to us.

"Nifty, Sonic, you said that Team Eclipse has your parents, right?" Tess asked us.

"Yeah." I replied.

"And they still do." Sonic added.

"I think I might know someone that can help." Tess said.

"And who might that be?" I asked.

"He's an old friend of my grandpa's, and he really knows his way around Roria. I think maybe he can help us figure out where Team Eclipse's base might be." Tess explained.

"That sounds like a good idea, don't you think?" Jake asked innocently.

"Well, that depends if crap starts to get rough." I mumbled, and then I fake coughed.

"Where does this friend of yours live?" Jake asked Tess as he turned to her.

"He actually lives in the capital of Roria, Anthian City. There's a gym there too from what I've heard, Nifty. And Sonic." Tess responded.

"Oh my! I always wanted to visit Anthian City! I heard so many wonderful things about it!" Jake exclaimed, and then he turned to us, "Aren't you excited, Nifty and Sonic?"

"To be blunt, I have never heard of Anthian City in my life." I replied. Tess and Jake were ultimately surprised.

"Wait, WHAT?! You've never even heard of Anthian City?! I can't believe it!" Jake screamed, almost scaring a few wild Pokémon from his yell.

"I mean, that Justin guy did mention it. But it doesn't ring a bell." I confessed.

"Well, you're in for a big surprise. I don't wanna spoil anything for you. Just wait until we get there!" Jake reminded. All I did was nod.

"This will be interesting indeed." Tess said.

"Yes, for sure. So how do we get there, anyways?" Jake asked.

"Well, we're on Route 9 now. I'm pretty sure we just travel through this forest until we reach Route 10," Tess explained, "From there, we travel through a cave to the top of the Craganos Mountains."

"Seems simple enough." Jake said with a small nod.

"We want to be careful not to get lost here, though," Tess warned, "I heard there is a haunted mansion somewhere in these woods. I would hate to end up there. Ghost type Pokémon scare me a little. I'm not afraid to admit it."

She shuddered as soon as she was done saying that.

"Ghost types? In a haunted mansion?" Sonic asked.

"Eh, that doesn't sound too bad. Only thing they'd do is if they copy some dumb horror movie," I said proudly, "What do you think, Ja-"

I turned to Jake, and his entire face was pale and his knees were shaking.

"G-g-g-ghosts? I'm not scared of any g-g-ghosts. I'll fight them off, no problem." Jake shouted nervously, trying to hide his cowardice.

"That's kind of you, Jake." Tess replied with a smile. And before any of us can, talk, we heard a loud boom.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Jake screeched.

"Let's see what it is." Sonic replied. And then we ran to see where the source of the boom was at.

Behind the giant tree, there was a small trace of where this specific boom was. Avoiding every trainer there was, we rushed to see who was there.

That person was none other than... freaking _Kevin._ And he had his Pokémon by his side. His Torracat evolved into Incineroar, his Mareanie evolved into Toxapex, and his Grumpig was there, along with his Garchomp, who was recently Gabite the last time.

And he also had a new Pokémon with him: Zangoose. It seems that Kevin was training them to make them stronger.

"Kevin?!" Sonic and I yelled.

"Kevin? Was this the person you were talking about?" Tess asked.

"Yeah. This is him." I replied. Our conversation ended up getting his attention.

"Oh, look at this. It's you two guys again. And you brought some friends with you." Kevin said, a bored look on his face.

"Yeah, uh... Nifty and Sonic were telling us about you." Jake reminded.

"Sure, I'm aware. But what are you two doing here?" Kevin asked.

"Well, we are on our way to Anthian City, to get our fourth badge, along with other stuff to deal with." Sonic explained.

"Heh heh... you guys are slow. Like, a lot." Kevin chuckled, and he pulls out his badge case. We look at it, and the guy has 5 badges!

Arceus almighty. That was unexpected.

"H-How? T-This fast...?" Sonic asked, ultimately surprised by this. He puts the egg on the ground, and nearly stumbles, looking down.

"Aww, what's the matter, Sonic? Are you gonna cry because of our last encounter?" Kevin mocked, and his Pokémon laughed with him.

I was furious from seeing this. Never in my life have I seen my friend get bullied by anyone. And we knew Kevin was a mean person with all those nasty words and stuff. But _this!_

This downright pisses me off!

I care about Sonic so much. I'm gonna stand up for him like I did at the Pokémon Center in Brimber City.

"Okay, listen here, _a**hole,_ " I yelled, getting in front of Kevin's face, "You better leave my friend alone. If there's anything that aggravates me, it's that idiots like you tend to do crap like this."

"So it seems. Then how about we battle if you care about him so much?" Kevin asked with a smirk.

"You wanna battle? Fine. Have at you, idiot." I responded while stepping back. Sonic battled Kevin the last couple times. I'm gonna see if I can make a difference for this time.

"Okay, Zangoose. You're up first." Kevin said, and pointed at me. Zangoose smirked, and gets into a pose to act all threatening.

"Okay then. In that case, I choose you, Nidoking!" I yelled, and my first Pokémon is sent out.

"So here's the rules for our battle, Nifty: we'll each use 3 Pokémon. No substituting is allowed. Anyone who forfeits is a coward." Kevin explained.

"I'll have you know that I have never forfeited anything in my life. So don't back down one bit, unless you're a coward deep inside." I teased.

"I'm tired of your s**t. Now I'll tell you you were messing with the wrong person! Zangoose! I want you to make sure this fool doesn't get far!" Kevin shouted.

"Is that so? Alright, maybe I'll defeat you first before you could even blink." I said.

"Zangoose, use Slash!" Kevin yelled.

"Block it with Horn Attack!" I shouted. And both of us casually let those two attacks collide. All it did was push them back.

"Sword Dance." Kevin said. Oh crap. Dang, he's gonna be raising attacks from there.

"Alright, don't let it overwhelm you, Nidoking! Use Poison Sting!" I commanded. Nidoking roars, and then shoots a powerful sting filled with poison.

"Use Detect." Kevin said. Zangoose raises his pointer finger, and then it allows himself to be protected by the attack. It hit him.

But it did nothing.

"Okay, we did a special, now let's do a physical. Horn Attack!" I yelled. And Zangoose takes the hit. He closes his eyes as he endures the pain.

But then he smirks as he opens his eyes again.

"Revenge." Kevin responded with a smirk. And with that, Zangoose pushes Nidoking back, doing okay damage.

"Nidoking! Hang in there!" I called out. He gets up with ease. Yep, still in the fight.

"Use Horn Attack, one more time!" I yelled.

"Did I say you can do that yet? Eh, Zangoose, use Slash." Kevin whispered. And once again, the physcial attacks just meet instead of actually doing anything.

"Grab." I said. Nidoking ends his attack, and he grabs Zangoose's right arm.

"Excuse me?" Kevin exclaimed.

"You're not going anywhere, a**hole. Nidoking, use Double Kick, and knock him back!"

"Detect." Kevin blurted out. Zangoose uses the protecting move before the legs can hit.

"See, hothead? You're not the only one who can read minds." Kevin mocked.

"Shut the frick up before we believe and do an attack harder." I exclaimed.

"Believe? Ha! Gimme a break. Pokémon are strong because of their strength. Nothing more." Kevin scoffed.

"Double Kick, again." I shouted. And this time, Zangoose got hit, and took a lot of damage, since the attack was super effective.

"I didn't allow you to attack!" Kevin complained.

"You don't tell me what to do. I decide for myself." I said heroically. I looked at my friends. Sonic still seemed worried from Kevin's insults. Jake and Tess were comforting him, along with Togepi.

"Uh, whatever. Zangoose, use Swords Dance and prepare yourself." Kevin demanded.

"Stand your ground, Nidoking. He's about to get a REAL beatdown." I warned. Nidoking growls, and stomps his foot onto the ground, ready to attack big time.

"NOW, REVENGE!" Kevin screeched.

"HORN ATTACK!" I screamed back at him. The two Pokémon roar, and hit with their (preferably) powerful attacks, making a giant cloud of smoke.

I shield mye eyes, feeling the strong wind blowing on my face. When everything cleared up, I see what the results came to.

Both Nidoking AND Zangoose have fainted.

"Seriously?! Even with five badges, you manage to do this!" Kevin yelled.

"Does it look like I care?" I asked as I return my fainted Pokémon.

"I'm not answering you. Let's see how you turn out when facing against Toxapex." Kevin said, and the spiky-like Pokémon comes into place as soon as he said its name.

"Okay then. I pick you, Charizard! Let's freaking go!" I screamed, sending out my next Pokémon. The draconian Pokémon flies in the air and shoots a fire breath before landing on the ground.

"Looks like you're all FIRED UP! Let's see how this guy does against a Flame Burst!" I shouted, and Charizard shoots a ball of fire right at his opponent.

"Spike Cannon." Kevin commanded. Soon, Toxapex was hight in the air. It opens the spikes and turns into some umbrella formation, and then shoots a beam of high energy, a white beam coming right at Charizard.

"Quick! Dodge it, and then use Dragon Claw!" I yelled. Because of Charizard's ability to fly, he easily avoided it. Then he rushes up to Toxapex and slashes him with the claw.

Toxapex lands on the ground with a thud. But it's gonna take more than that to take him down.

"Toxapex, use Venoshock!" Kevin shouted.

"Quick, slash through it with Metal Claw!" I called out. And of course, I knew that Steel is immune to Poison. So that was planned quickly, like I knew it was coming. The

"Don't go offense just yet, Kevin! Charizard, use Wing Attack!" I demanded.

"Baneful Bunker." Kevin exclaimed once Charizard got closer. closes itself with the giant spikes. So now it feels like its protected.

I could tell Charizard realized it at the last second, and he backed up.

"Pssh. What a coward. At least he knew of the effects." Kevin laughed, and Toxapex laughed as well, coming out of its defense form.

I snap my fingers. Charizard charges up another Wing Attack, and slams Toxapex right on its tiny face.

"How's THAT for cowardice?" I said with a wide smirk.

"I'll make you pay for that! Toxapex, Poison Jab!" Kevin shouted. As the spiky Pokémon comes closer, Charizard attempts to use his bare hands to try and stop him.

Charizard attempted to push Toxapex back, but Toxapex wasn't giving in.

"Dragon Claw!" I yelled. Charizard growls, and raises his hand up with very sharp claws.

"Now, Toxapex! Baneful Bunker!" Kevin shrieked. And it stops the Poison Jab and goes into that defense form again.

This time, Charizard _had_ to hit him since he wasn't prepared for that. Charizard got knocked back once it was over.

And what's worse... is that he's poisoned.

"Dang it..." I mumbled.

"What did I tell ya? Was that _really_ worth it?" Kevin asked me. He was really trying to get me down to my level.

But I dealt with this crap way more than you could imagine. I'm not gonna let this _idiot_ make me the angriest I can be.

"You know a battle still goes on even WITH status conditions." I reminded.

"But your Charizard is struggling over there." Kevin mocked.

"He is, yes. But he knows he can still get stronger, and pull through until the end. That's just how it goes." I said with a wink. This is probably one of the greatest speeches I've done, outside the one I did to help Sonic back at Brimber City.

Thouht weakened, Charizard smiles, showing all his teeth.

"I hate you!" Kevin yelled.

"Oh, well f**k you too." I smirk as I flipped him off with the middle finger.

"Toxapex, Venoshock!" Kevin screamed.

"Flame Burst!" I yelled. Since both of them were special attacks, it was easier to counter that. It's really about thinking of the situation after each attack lands.

A battle isn't simple, nor will it ever be.

"And now use Metal Claw." I continued. Even when poisoned, it seems that Charizard flew that fastest he could, and he scratched Toxapex more than any other claw so far.

"Recover." Kevin commanded.

"Oh no you don't! Prevent it, Charizard!" I shouted. Toxapex began to recover some health back. But immediately, he stopped when Charizard grabbed it, and flew right up in the air, holding onto him.

Charizard stumbled in the air for a bit as he went higher, but as soon as that was done, he threw Toxapex right back down, making him stuck on the hard ground.

"Are you fricking kidding me?!" Kevin yelled.

"And now, Charizard! FINISH THIS TURN WITH DRAGON CLAW!" I screeched. Charized descended like a missile, and stabbed his claws right at Toxapex.

Charizard flew back to my side. I looked at him and nodded, while smiling. Then we look at Toxapex.

Yeah, he fainted. He's done for.

"Psh. Dumb luck. I'm gonna end this now, Nifty." Kevin scoffed as he returns the fainted Pokémon.

"I'd like to see you try." I boasted.

"Yeah. Go get him, Incineroar!" Kevin yelled. And Incineroar growls proudly as he steps onto the field.

"Charizard, Wing Attack!" I shouted.

"Nuh-uh. Incineroar, use Darkest Lariat." Kevin said. Incineroar smiles and clemches his fist, mixing in with fire, along with some darkness. Then he spun around like a tornado.

As the two of them get closer, Incineroar ducks, and then attacks Charizard from beneath. It got poor Charizard weakened very quickly.

"Charizard? Can you still fight?" I asked. But Charizard falls over and faints. Yep, the poison finally got its advantage. Darn it!

"Guess that's a no..." I return him.

"Just give up while you still can. We know how it'll end." Kevin insulted.

"Like I'll listen to you. If it keeps going on, then I will end it with you, Greninja!" I shouted, and then my first starter is sent out.

"Quick, Water Shuriken!" I demanded. And he throws tiny water ninja stars. Incineroar takes them all, but I did take note that he did stumble

"Use Fire Fang!" Kevin yelled.

"See if you can take it, Greninja!" I warned. Greninja is prepared now. As Incineroar opens his mouth and lets his teeth catch on fire while getting a bit closer, Greninja does a swift sidestep, and avoids it.

"Night Slash!" I yelled. And Incineroar gets attacked from behind, falling forward.

"Fury Swipes!"

Oh crap. That was unexpected. Incineroar repeatedly scratches Greninja with the nail-sharp claws on his hands. Dang. I didn't expect it all, to be honest.

Ooh. But I feel that energy again. Oh boy. I feel it getting stronger.

"Greninja! Do you feel what I'm feeling?" I ask. I recieved an affirmative croak.

"Okay, Greninja! With this newfound power, let's become one and finish this!" I screamed. We scream some more, and then become one.

Like my last battle against Sonic, I see whatever Greninja is seeing. At first, it was water. But then I see the usual field.

Kevin was surprised, along with Incineroar. But he didn't seem too impressed after looking at it for 5 seconds. What an idiot...

"Dual Chop." Kevin scoffed.

"Quick Attack!" I shouted. Incineroar attempts to use two chops to attack Greninja, but it seems like my starter ducked just in time, and continue his Quick Attack.

"Fire Fang!" Kevin yelled. Dang it, not again! Greninja had to take the hit. I felt it. I didn't stumble, but I did yelp. If Kevin mocked me for that, I just wanna castrate this man.

Actually, no. I don't wanna become insane. That's a big no-no.

"Use Scald!" I command.

"Use Drakest Lariat and spin it all away!" Kevin reminded. And it did actually happen.

The water went away like it was NOTHING. It's expeced, since Incineroar knows how to deal with hot stuff. Cause he's a Fire type.

"Alright, Greninja, don't give up! Use Water Shuriken!" I shouted. The stars were bigger and faster. Just what I expected this time.

"Use Dual Chop!" Kevin yelled. Incineroar was ready now. Guess this ain't much time to celebrate early.

The first star is chopped.

The second star was as well.

But the third one actually hit him. I guess Incineroar wasn't ready for that one. Welp, lucky me.

"Grr... you're just lucky because you have that insane power boost." Kevin exclaimed.

"It's not just a power boost, idiot. It's a way of getting used to it." I said.

"Ugh, whatever, man! Incineroar, use Fire Fang!" Kevin yelled.

"Now! Use Quick Attack!" I commanded. Just like the last time from what I've seen, Greninja goes underneath Incineroar and attacks.

Perfect.

"Dual Chop! NOW!" Kevin screamed.

"Scald!" I reminded. Incineroar tried to block the incoming hot water with the chop. He turns out to have handled it. Wow, what a bulky Pokémon.

"Use Night Slash!" I yelled. But _that_ one actually hit Incineroar. Yes. I'm gonna end it.

"Greninja! Build up a Water Shuriken!" I told him. Greninja leaps up, and then makes more stars, and shoves them together.

It made one _big_ shuriken.

"SHOOT IT!" I screeched. And Greninja threw the star at full force.

 _BANG!_

I waited for things to clear up. Greninja stood there, still in this special form. Could Incineroar already be down from the attack? Only one way to find out.

The smoke clears up, and...

What? Incineroar is gone?

"The hell?" I mumbled, confused.

"NOW!" I heard the scream from Kevin. Then I saw Incineroar from the sidelines. But I knew... it was too late.

Incineroar hits Greninja with the hardest Darkest Lariat I have ever seen. It took my starter down easily, and I did stumble, but not fall.

I... lost. Against this freaking _idiot_.

"Never saw it coming." Kevin said with a shrug and a laugh. I sighed in defeat. I definitely have to heal my mons after this.

I'll never forget this...

* * *

I still can't believe this. This idiot managed to win against me.

I return Greninja back to his ball. Even with this new-found power (that will take some to getting used to), guess it just wasn't enough. I healed my Pokémon with some revives and potions, and kept them in their balls.

But the battle is over, so we can't get back at him.

"Heh, just as I thought, I won. I told ya, hothead. You just picked the wrong opportunity to go out a person." Kevin teased while laughing at me.

I didn't let his words affect me. He just thinks he's the most perfect person in the world, when he's not. My glare gets angrier, and I walk close to him again.

"You know, Kevin? I don't have to win to prove something to you," I exclaimed, "But one day, you will learn this. Just because you have strong Pokémon doesn't mean you're the strongest trainer in the world."

"Ugh. Whatever." Kevin scoffed, and then walks away from us, with his remaining Pokémon following behind him.

"B***h." I mumble, and then sigh in annoyance. After my little annoyed sigh, I felt Sonic tap my shoulder.

"It's okay, Nifty. Don't worry about it. You tried your best." He said.

"*sigh* You're right, man. You just know how I get at times." I replied with a smile. Sonic nods, understanding my statement. I just am that kind of guy who gets mad at some pretty aggravating stuff.

"Next time we meet Kevin, we'll show him." I insisted, feeling determined again.

"Yeah, we will." Sonic responded, and then we give each other a high five. Togepi cheers as well to fit into this situation.

"Geez. Kevin is such a bully." Jake pointed out.

"No wonder he got rid of Frillish. Because of how he was treating you two before the battle." Tess said angrily.

"Well, it's over now, so let's just forget about it. What do you say we keep going?" I suggested. We looked around, thinking of where to go next.

"Oh, how about we go over there?" Sonic asked as he pointed to a path.

"Aight, let's go there." I replied, and then we walked along the path. Luckily, this time, no one manages to spot us walking along.

As we pass right through another small patch of tall grass, there were small trees in front of us. But these trees were black, and they had no leaves. The branches were pretty small and thin as well. With these trees, a straight path stands out. I wonder where it leads to.

We pass by onto the path, and it turns out that there was a gateway that'll lead to another place. The next route, I presume? But we enter the gate so we can go to this place.

What was unusual... this gate seems... abandoned. Every gateway was always cheery with some calm music playing, and there was a person at a counter to tell some tips.

But on this one, no one was there, and the stuff that was here was kicked over. I dunno what happened here, but it doesn't seem good. However, I was curious to see where this leads to.

* * *

On the other side of the gate, we come across... a mansion. The creaky gates were opened, inviting us in.

"Ooh, what do you know. We have come across Fortulose Manor." I said, smirking. I have heard lots of stories about this place. One of those stories saying that there's a haunted Pokémon there that will electrocute you till you die. An Electric type, for all sakes.

The guys behind me were surprised. Jake seemed the most scared, considering that his knees were shaking nonstop.

"Uh... I think we should leave. We clearly didn't want to come across here." Tess reminded.

"Really? Have you never heard about the many rumors about this place?" I asked.

"N-Nifty, Tess is right. W-We wanna hurry ahead before bad things happen! Not only here, but with your parents! And Sonic's!" Jake exclaimed, nervously chuckling. I could obviously tell it was a lie. I thought of something, and when it was done... a mischievous smile was on my face.

"Fine. Guess I'll go explore it on my own." I said with a shrug, and walked ahead.

"Nifty? You okay?" Sonic asked, a little concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just don't wanna let my adventure go to waste." I replied.

"Oh, no! We are not going inside the manor, Nifty!" Jake yelled angrily. But instead of feeling insulted, my smirk went wider.

"Why? Are you scared? Are you too much of a Torchic to go inside?" I teased.

"N-No," Jake responded, "I-It's just that-"

But I interrupted by acting like a scared Torchic. I ended up making Jake get angrier. Tess stifled a giggle at my impression.

"Nifty, stop it!" Jake commanded.

"No. Because you're too scared." I said, and continued my impression to get his anger deeper.

"ALRIGHT, FINE! We'll go in!" Jake screamed.

"Cool. Meet ya there." I responded, and continued my way there. I looked over at my friends, waiting for them to come along.

Togepi seemed scared, since the Manor gives off a spooky vibe.

"Return, Togepi. I'll let you walk with us again when we leave." Sonic whispered, and he lets the star go back to her Ball. So now Sonic was only holding the egg, still inside the case.

"Well... here goes nothing. If I get haunted by any ghosts, you guys are gonna owe me something." Tess warned.

"I assure you that we're strong. We'll be fine." I said. But Tess nodded at my agreement, so surely that counts for something.

On the outside of this place, it turns out that there's some tall grass. Not too much. Just some small patches. And there also a small fishing pong there. For some reason...

And on the right, there's a hill downwards that shows gates, and what could be on the other side of this mansion.

Speaking of which, the mansion is HUGE. It looked abandoned, so it gives off a scary vibe. On the top, there was a giant clock. But it doesn't seem to be working, considering not a lot of people come here.

But enough of that. We need to go inside this gosh darn place!

* * *

We are inside. And what I immediately know is that this mansion gives off the sacred saying of "This place is haunted. Turn back now."

"Wow. Such an interesting look. For a haunted mansion." I said. There were 2 hallways. Three if you count the one we're in right now. Purple lines guided the way to each hallway. There was also a giant staircase, but it is broken halfway. So can we climb it? Nope.

I felt like I was the only one _not_ scared. Sonic seemed a little nervous, and Tess had that same vibe. Jake was pale and constantly shaking, but he was trying his hardest _not_ to just to try and hide his cowardice.

As we walk on, I turned to a mirror. My friends turn with me, and... we see the face of a Haunter peeking from the mirror. When we look, it turns away quickly.

"AHH! WHAT WAS THAT, WHAT WAS THAT?" Jake screamed as he looks around frantically.

"I...It was probably nothing, Jake. It felt spooky, but it was prolly nothing." Tess assured.

"Y-Yeah, you're right! Even if there was a g-ghost, I-I can handle it easily!" Jake boasted. But how long can he keep up this lying?

"Let's just move on." Sonic said to the two. Jake and Tess nodded in unison, and we continue our walk in the manor.

The first room was on the first hallway near us. There were 2 doors. We took the farther one to see what was inside.

Inside the room, there were not a lot of things. It was small, with a red rug being the only source of flooring, besides the regular tan floor. There was a black piano on the red rug, along with a seat of the same color. There was a cello, and a jukebox. There was also a bookshelf, but not a lot of books were on it.

"Huh. The original owner must've liked to play instruments." Sonic said.

"Ya know, I always liked playing the drums as a kid, so I can relate." Tess added.

"Hey, so did I!" Jake added.

"Welp, these must be the ones that this man... or woman... liked." I responded. Suddenly, spooky music started to play in the room.

"Uhh... g-guys? W-Where is that music COMING FROM?" Jake asked as his nervousness got way higher than usual.

"Where else, Jake?" I said bluntly, and pointed at the jukebox.

"Nifty... quit messing around. Did you touch it on purpose?" Tess questioned.

"I didn't even put a finger on the thing. It's playing on its own." I exclaimed. So I walked over to the jukebox to stop the creepy music from playing.

As I did, electrical sparks were shot out. Sonic and I jumped at the response, and these other two were just surprised.

I could've sworn that I saw... something orange that was fleeing from this room. Fortunately, the music stopped.

"Oh my Arceus! I think I saw something!" Tess pointed out.

"So there's a mysterious Pokémon in here!" Sonic said.

"Hmm... a strange presence has fled the room." I replied. And then... sounds could be heard coming from somewhere else in the house. There is nothing else for any of us to view in this room, so we left. Before leaving, I saw a Poke Ball near the piano. I picked it up, and inside was a Metronome. Might keep it, might give it away. Now we leave.

We see a statue of a knight that was by the right of us. It didn't really spook any of us. Unless it was talking and making scary noises, then _that_ could freak us out.

The next room was at the other door that was next to the room we just went inside. So we go inside that door. Now, what is in this room?

Well, there were blue walls, and a huge crack in the middle. There was a shelf with NOTHING on it. There was also a rocking chair, and on the floor... apart from a green rug, and a blue one where the chair was on... there were three bouncing balls. A red one, a blue one, and a green one.

Also, there was a table with two drawers. On top of it was... a walkie talkie? And the last thing standing out was... a crib. And on this crib was nothing. It was wooden. Well, nothing apart from a blue rectangle, and... something yellow. But I don't know what it is.

"Oh my. What could've happened to a child in here?" Jake asked.

"So many possibilities. I can't tell what though." Sonic replied. But it seems like the noises are not in this room. So we left. There's nothing here for us.

We leave the hallway, and go to the second one. There was a door in front when we entered, but we decided not to go in that one yet.

There was scratch marks on that said door. It made Tess and Jake freak out a little (but Jake most likely), so they quickly followed behind us.

We go inside the farther door again. This room must've been a bedroom, since a two-person bed was there, with two pillows, and a huge, blue blanket.

There is a window with the curtains open, and a table with the drawers was in front of the window. There is a bookshelf and a wardrobe.

"Now, what the heck could be in here?" I wondered.

"Oh, Nifty. Look." Sonic said,. He pointed to a red book. This book was on a night table that was next to the bed.

But the book... it was just red. There was no title or description on a story. Sonic opened it up, and...

What? There's a green button inside. This left me confused, and a bit annoyed.

"Why the f-"

"Let's just see what happens, Nifty." Sonic interrupted. Then he presses the button. Nothing happened.

"Fake button? Really?" Tess groaned. Then we heard a creaky noise. The wardrobe opened all on its own.

Then, it started sucking us all in. But, it turns out that just Sonic and I were the ones that got sucked into the wardrobe.

Both of us screamed as this wardrobe took us somewhere. Finally, the wardrobe spits us out, the two of us landing flat on the floor. I was the first to get up since Sonic is still recovering from the trip. It looked like the same bedroom. But the bed was broken this time.

The bookshelf was clattered, and papers were scattered everywhere. One of the curtains were tipped, and there were more scratch marks.

I heard my phone buzz. I picked it up to see who texted me. It was Jake.

The text read: "Nifty, Tess and I left the mansion because of how much is going on. I'll be outside to protect Tess. See you when you get back!"

"*sigh* Arceus d*n it, Jake." I groaned, putting my phone back in my pocket.

"Hey, uh... Nifty? This room is... kinda the same." Sonic said.

"I know. Let's just see what else is here." Was all I responded with.

When we left, we... saw the same knight statue. Did we just travel to another dimension? Nah, I think not. That kind of stuff is too powerful for a place like this.

But maybe those rooms could be different, Sonic and I decided to see what was across the hallway. Well, it's different. We must be on the second floor.

We enter the door to see what was inside, after leaving the other one. What is inside, exactly? Well, it's a library. Books were everywhere. But the ladders were broken. Some books stayed on one of the tables, and the computer has fallen over. Good Arceus, this place is abandoned SO GOOD.

But we hear something from the computer. I think the screen is shining, looking at the light below it.

"Now, what the heck is the sound doing in such a place? Like this?" I questioned. I went up to it and decided to see why it's making that sound.

Then another electrical current happened. Some mysterious thing snuck right in there. Someday, I'm gonna find out what.

"What is that, Nifty?" Sonic asked.

"I dunno, man. I know something is haunted in here. No wonder Jake and Tess left so suddenly." I explained.

As soon as that was done, we left. It's none of our business to stay here. We listened closely to hear the noise. I feel that the noise is now...

Downstairs.

"Sonic. We're going down." I told him. He nods, and we jump down the stairs. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt that much. My ankles should've freaking shattered.

What is wrong with this world.

"Nifty, I'm gonna check out some other places in here. You can keep looking for the noise." Sonic said.

"Alright. You do that." I replied. So Sonic left me, and now we were split up. Sonic took the door to the right, and I took the one in the center.

Inside that room, it's the dining room. There is a table and chairs to seat at least 10 people. The only food that was still sitting there was a whole turkey (I dunno why I went with that, considering this is Pokémon), a waffle, chicken leg (still proves my statement above), and a fruit bowl. But the noise wasn't in there.

No. It was in the kitchen. I got a closer look, the toaster was constantly popping toast out crazily.

"Well. That was certainly unexpected." I said. I went up to it, and the electric stuff happened again. The strange presence has fled the room.

Holy crap.

I left the room quickly. Just in time, Sonic meets back up with me.

"I found a Dusk Ball! But nothing else important, unfortunately." Sonic shouted.

"Thanks for the help, at least. Let's see what else is in this mansion." I responded. I felt like it was back upstairs.

"Follow me." I insisted. I walked ahead, and Sonic follows right behind me.

* * *

So, we took that wardrobe trip again. At least I expected it this time.

We left two rooms. And we ended up... outside. No, not in he tall grass. If we _did,_ we would see two scared people. That just bailed on us.

Nah, I'm kidding on that last part. They're my friends. Still...

And this part of being outside led to another place, which had a ramp. Another floor, maybe? We went up it.

Yes, it turns out: another door to another room. There were boxes and other random junk on the floor. And there was a television. And it seemed to be on.

"I'll go shut that off, Nifty." Sonic insisted, and jumps over the boxes se he can turn off the TV. Meanwhile, I decided to explore what else was in this room.

I saw a purple glow. It was a very dark purple. I went up to see what it was. And it left me shocked.

It was a Dusk Stone.

I smiled widely, and I put the stone in my pocket.

 _"I should save this. Who knows what I can find?_ " I thought. Electric sounds can be heard. It guess it was that weird presence that caused this again.

"Nifty! I think we're getting close to something!" Sonic yelled.

"Right back at ya, dude!" I shouted back at him, then I ran so I can meet up with him.

* * *

Back downstairs, we heard something in another room. I got closer to a door we haven't gone in yet. And I heard... a hair drier?

"Alright, haunted thing. You can't hide from us forever." I said with a determined smile. Sonic stays behind as I go inside.

As I would've expected, this is the bathroom. And the hair drier I heard was spinning on the desk. I physically slapped it, and the lightning bolts jotted out before the presence fled again.

But this time, I heard a maniacal laugh. The heck?

I looked at the mirror in front of me. I smirked as I smooth my hair a bit before making a cool pose.

"Still cool even after all this." I chuckled. After that weird experience that you didn't have to see but showed you all for some reason, I leave.

"Nifty! Come here!" Sonic called out.

"I'm coming, man!" I shouted. I sprinted to where my friend was at. Sonic was at a door that we've been inside already. I felt some sound being heard inside.

"This is the child room we've been inside. I hear a baby crying." Sonic said. But there wasn't a child in here.

"This is creepy as hell..." I mumbled. I slam the door open. And Sonic was right. There was a mini transceiver recording a sound: a baby crying.

"Shut up." I exclaimed as I once again slap it at full force. More electric. What kind of Pokémon would be here though?

"Kay, Sonic. I think we have one last stop to make. I think I know where it is." I reminded.

"Let's go see what it is." Sonic said.

* * *

Back after getting sucked into the wardrobe in that specific room again.

Everything is still the same. But there is only one difference: the Game Boy that is on the night table was turned on. That's what happens when you go inside a haunted mansion.

"What kind of ghost is even doing all of this?" I questioned. I walked up and touched it. Then more elctric bolts were shocked out. I felt myself getting sucked into the handheld.

"NIFTY!" I heard Sonic scream.

When I woke up... huh? I was in... an 8 bit town. But why am I pixelated? And why is a Pikachu following me? And also, WHY do I not look like myself?

"Nifty! Nifty, can you hear me?" Sonic called out.

"Sonic! In here!" I screamed as I looked above. I saw Sonic's face there.

"Okay, listen closely," I explained, "I have been sucked into this game. And I can't control myself unless someone else does it! I need you to move me around with the buttons! Specifically, take me to that cave over there!"

"I'm on it!" Sonic said with a nod. He picks up the Game Boy, and moves me around. Whatever direction Sonic pressed, I moved in that direction, and the Pikachu was following me.

Sonic eventually makes me arrive at the cave. When I did, I encountered a wild Pokémon. And this one really came as a surprise to me.

Rotom.

All I had in my party was Pikachu. At this point, now I had full control. Pikachu had 4 moves to choose from: Thunder, Quick Attack, Agility, and Double Team. But the only move I could pick is Thunder, because the other ones ran out. Guess I had one choice.

"Pikachu, use Thunder!" I commanded. And right after I said that...

I popped out of the portable console, and landed on the ground.

"Are you okay, Nifty?" Sonic asked.

"Yeah. I'm alright." I replied. Then, I saw more electric. I realized. The electric was from Rotom.

The mysterious Pokémon jolted to many places in the room before going inside something. I looked at what he went inside.

Something red. A... Pokédex? Sonic neared me as I picked up the red object.

"He went inside this thing." I told my friend. But I didn't see any sight of Rotom. Suddenly, the screen turned on, and I saw blue eyes opening. Rotom's horn was seen on the thing, and two arm-like things were formed on the sides, along with tiny feet.

"Howdy, fellazzz!" Rotom greeted as he floats in the air. Sonic and I were more than surprised. This just left me questioning my own life.

"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!" I screamed.

"Woah-ho! Eazzzy there, pal! You don't to have zzzuch a zzztrange heart attack from zzzeeing me, bzzt!" Rotom warned.

"How... is this even possible?" I asked.

"Well, azzz you know, I am Rotom!" Rotom boasted, "With my newezzzt form, I can eazzzily become thizzz form of a Pokédex! Thuzzz, that givezzz me the name Rotom-Dex!"

"So, you're a Pokédex mixed in with yourself?" Sonic questioned.

"Thatzzz right!" Rotom said. But then I heard another Pokémon sound. Like it belonged in this manor. We all looked behind us.

It was a Honedge. And it looked like it was about to attack.

"Oh my Arceus! A Honedge?!" I yelled.

"Allow me, boyzzz!" Rotom offered. He went up a little higher, and scans the Pokémon. Then he shows the main information on his screen.

"Honedge: the Sword Pokémon. A Steel and Ghost type. Apparently, this Pokémon is born when a departed spirit inhabits a sword. It attaches itself to people and drinks their life force."

"Eek! Scary." Sonic exclaimed with a slight shiver.

"Ah, Honedge is one of the best kind of Pokémon that I know. I'm obviously gonna catch this guy." I said.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck!" Rotom cheered, "Remember, to catch a Pokémon, you-"

"I know how it works, Rotom. Can it." I interrupted him. I threw a Poke Ball in the air, and Charizard comes out.

Instead of weakening it, Charizard menacingly glares at Honedge. The tiny sword ghost shivers a bit as he attempts to back away.

"And now..." I mumbled. The next empty ball I pull from my pocket is... an Ultra Ball. I throw it directly at Honedge.

He goes in easily, getting sucked in as the ball lands.

One shake...

Two...

Three...

Click!

Wow. One shot. I... didn't expect to catch one that easily.

"Alright! I caught a Honedge!" I cheered. Sonic also came along to cheer with me.

"DOES NOT COMPUTE. DOES NOT COMPUTE." Rotom said in a robotic tone, very confused.

"That's right, Rotom. Catching Pokémon isn't always about weakening them first. Sometime, you might just get lucky." I boasted.

"E-Erm... n-now that we are partnerzzz, how about we leave thizzz manzzzion and let me tag along with your adventure?" Rotom offered.

"A floating Pokédex possessed by something? Nah, I don't think so." I scoffed as I returned my second starter. There was no way I could believe of this GUY coming with us, honestly.

"Nifty, think of the possibilities!" Sonic said, "Rotom can scan Pokémon for us, and them give us a little heads up! We'll actually be more likely to get through all this faster!"

I thought about that for a moment. After some more thinking, I sighed.

"Alright. Rotom can come along with us." I said.

"Yippee! I'm coming along! Cue the party theme!" Rotom cheered. And then he mimics a noisemaker sound, and with pretending that confetti is thrown at us.

I stared at him bluntly before I walk out of here.

* * *

We take the stairs down again. Hmm, I wonder how Jake and Tess are going to react to this. Only one way to find out.

We exit the manor. Rotom actually stays behind us. Mainly because Sonic suggested we surprise them.

"Oh, Nifty! Sonic! You two are alright!" Tess shouted.

"W-We thought you two were h-haunted by some ghosts!" Jake cried.

"Haunted? Pssh. Get real, Jake. No ghosts are gonna haunt us anytime soon." I said smugly.

"Plus, we have a new partner with us!" Sonic cheered.

"Two, actually." I added. I threw an Ultra Ball, and Honedge comes out.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! It's a spirit inside a ghost!" Jake screamed.

"*sigh* No, Jake. That's just a Honedge. Nifty must've caught one in the mansion." Tess said.

"And then we have... this guy." I responded. Sonic and I step aside. Rotom-Dex approaches the two.

"Hey there!" He greeted.

"Wait, a Rotom Pokédex? I thought those were only in Alola! Let alone rare." Tess exclaimed.

"Well, you remember all that electric stuff that we've been seeing? Well, it turns out that it's Rotom," I explained, "When we finally caught up with the maniac, he went inside a mysterious version of a Pokédex. And as a result, this happened."

"Ohhh! Wow, that's pretty lucky to find him here!" Tess said with a smile.

"Thatzzz right! So all of you are friendzzz? Itzzz great to meet you all!" Rotom said with a wave.

"Same here, Rotom. But we have a reason we are going on this adventure." Tess reminded.

"You see, my parents have been kidnapped, and Nifty's, too. A group called Team Eclipse got them, and we are trying to stop them from doing anymore harm." Sonic said.

"Oh my gosh! Bzzt, bzzt! I will do whatever it takezzz to help you guys out!" Rotom shouted in surprise.

"We're already some kind of army. There's no way Team Eclipse stands a chance." I chuckled.

"I can give you a head zzztart on where this Team Eclipse could be heading next!" Rotom requested.

"Oh, that would be a GREAT help!" Jake sighed happily.

"SEARCHING FOR TEAM ECLIPSE." Rotom said in a monotone voice. We stood there waiting for what's gonna happen.

"SCANNING NEAREST LOCATION."

Beeping sounds are heard as Rotom scans around the area. It's as if he has all of Roria down.

"You guyzzz are good to go! Team Eclipse is nowhere near us! But if something is happening, bzzt, I'll be sure to let you know!" Rotom explained.

"Thanks, Rotom. You're a great help." Sonic said.

"Oh! I realized! Izzz that a Pokémon egg?" Rotom asked as he points to that egg. Yep, we still had it on this chase.

"Yes it is. I don't know what it will hatch into though.

"Only one way to find out! And that izzz when it hatchezzz!" Rotom reminded.

"Heh. Thank you, Rotom. I'm glad to have you on the team." Sonic said happily.

"No problem! I would like to celebrate thizzz momentuzzz occasion with a picture of you four together!" Rotom offered.

"Gladly." I replied.

"Alright, everyone! Step close to each other, don't be shy! This picture will last for a lifetime!" Rotom responds as he gets into a camera mode. We stand together.

"As a team... we will not stay long without each other." I said to my friends.

"It's great to join in!" Tess giggled.

"Alright, everyone! Say cheese!" Rotom cheered. We all showed the biggest smile we could. I was pretty much the only one who did a pose, and that pose was one of my hands on my hips, while my other hand was high in the air, holding peace sign.

We will make sure this adventure goes on well. We complete our goals, we save Roria. We beat all the gyms, we will soon become champions.

But for now... at least we have a team. Not only of Pokémon. But of human friends.

* * *

 **A/N: I am really, REALLY sorry for the super long delay. I will try to be more active on this story. I would like to thank all of you for supporting me and this story. Cuz loved this game. :)**

 **But that's all for today! Have a wonderful day, everyone! :D**


	19. Sudden Appearances

**Okay. Now, it's time I go through slightly different stuff. Dunno if this is a filter Chapter or whatever, but why the heck not?**

 **Now, let's see how things will work out for this one after what has happened in the last chapter. Here we go! :D**

* * *

Leaving the forest was a little tough, but we managed to get out of it. But instead of heading onto the next Route like we usually do, we decided to rest back at Rosecove City.

It was getting late out, and time flies when we do these adventures. Plus, we dealt with a lot of stuff when we first came to Route 9.

Sonic and I battled against Jake and Tess in a team battle. Then we came across the idiot we all know as Kevin. I battled him, but lost. Hopefully next time, it won't be that way.

Then we found the most haunted place in all of Roria: Fortulose Manor. It was wild when we explored that place. And uncovering the rumor about the mysterious electricity was uncovered.

That electricity turned out to be from Rotom. And he went inside a Pokédex to tag along with the adventure. I _was_ a little against it, I won't lie. But Sonic felt otherwise.

And now, here we are: back in Rosecove City. We decided to stay in the hotel rooms inside for just one more night. And one more doesn't sound bad.

The only difference is that this time, there were four singular beds for all of us. Man, and I wanted to see some more moments of Jake and Tess together.

...

Good Arceus, I'm such a pervert.

"So, guyzzz... would it be okay if you could tell me more about Kevin?" Rotom requested as we all walk inside the room.

"Yeah, I'd like to know as well. To know how you met him." Tess added.

"Alright. I'll tell ya the story since... Sonic sometimes gets uncomfortable around him. Especially for... what Kevin freaking said to him earlier." I said, venom in my tone as I kept talking. Sonic smiled at me, happy I was able to help out.

"Yeah, I remember moving on ahead shortly after. Never saw him. But just briefly in Brimber City," Jake responded, "How did you two exactly meet?"

"So Sonic and I exit the gym after I got the badge. As soon as you left after giving us the RTD, then Kevin came along," I explained, "He boasted that he was very strong, and I already did not like him. Not to mention that when Lycanroc was still a Rockruff... Kevin _kicked_ the little guy! I'm not kidding! And Sonic got _really_ pissed when he saw that action."

"What?! He tried to physically abuse Lycanroc before he evolved?!" Tess yelled.

"Yes, and the reason is because Kevin was Lycanroc's original trainer. Kevin only released him because he says the dog is 'too weak'." I scoffed.

"Oh no. That... is so mean." Jake said sadly.

"There izzz more to the strength of a Pokémon than just itzzz power. Itzzz also defense, bzzt, and their friendship with itzzz trainer!" Rotom said.

"Exactly! But Kevin is too much of an IDIOT to even give a chance!" I ranted.

"We'll be on the lookout next time. Maybe to get rid of all this bully stuff, we can get to know more about each other." Tess suggested as she smiled.

"Oh, yes! I want to know more about you, Tess!" Jake squealed.

"Oh yeah, bzzt bzzt! Then I can take in your information, and with that, we can help you out with your predicaments!" Rotom cheered.

"That sounds nice." Sonic said.

"Hee hee hee... since we barely even talked, I might as well start off. My name is Tess Fitzgerald, and it's a pleasure to meet you all," Tess giggled, "I've always wanted to go on adventures, and my dream is coming true. Since I met you guys, of course! I'm gonna try and follow in my parents footsteps, and maybe be just like them one day!"

"That sounds awesome, Tess! You're gonna do it one day! I just know it!" Jake laughed and cheered with her. Tess just playfully rolls her eyes while smiling.

"Erm... one question, Tess. When we met you, you lived with your grandfather. Do you know where your parents are at?" Sonic asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Tess replied as she sighs and looks down, "You see, they disappeared on an adventure when I was 6 years old. They never came back since. The family that I knew looked for them for months, and even years. But there was no trace of them coming back, or where they even are."

"D*n. That's really hard to take in." I said, feeling bad for her.

"But... as I did get a little older, my grandpa signed me up for a Pokémon summer camp," Tess continued as she felt a cheery mood again, "That's where I met Gabite, when she was still a Gible. My other team members... well, apart from Frillish... I found them in other places. And we became best friends ever since."

We all clapped, and Rotom shouted cheering noises. Glad to know a little more about her.

"So, who wants to go next?" Tess asked.

"Ooh! I'll go, I'll go!" Jake insisted.

"Hmm... it seems like Jake izzz very eager to try and do stuff when Tess is involved." Rotom pointed out.

"Yeah! So, I'm Jake! Jake Caper! And I've been childhood friends with Nifty and Sonic! And Tess, when I met you, you've REALLY changed my life!" Jake blurted out.

"Yeah? H-How so?" Tess questioned.

"Uhhh... you just did since you're a very nice person!" Jake screamed as his face turned a bright shade of red.

"Thanks, Jake. You really compliment a lot." Tess said with a giggle.

"So, uh... how about you get to talk to Nifty and Sonic now!" Jake offered, before he... "explodes" from embarrassment. I _really_ gotta give this guy some tips...

"Oh yeah! It'd be really nice. I just like talking to people sometimes." Tess answered.

"Hey, Nifty? Do you want to go first?" Sonic whispered in my ear.

"Sure." I whispered back. I turn back at Tess, and I clear my throat before speaking.

"There's not a lot to know about me, Tess," I said, "I'm very interested in Pokémon, and I was always obsessed with Team Valor since I was a kid. Since my adventure, my days keep getting better. But if there's not Pokémon we talk about, I guess I can also say I'm a gamer. Along with being good at self defense."

"So... you took karate to learn self defense. Pretty neat." Tess complimented.

"Actually, I taught myself by watching videos. And I said to myself 'I can do that'. My parents got me a punching bag to practice on about a week after I was interested." I continued.

"What? So you... taught yourself just by looking at videos?" Tess asked, confused.

"What can I say? I think vids on YouTube helped me with learning stuff than... anything else. Apart from school, with the basic reading, writing, and boring a* math." I explained.

"That doesn't make any sense! There _are_ physical programs to help you learn stuff. Not just videos." Tess groaned.

"I do things differently. Since I'm _that_ savage." I said as I cross my arms, smirking. Tess sighed and shook her head, then tried speaking to me again.

"Actually, Nifty, there's just-"

"ACTUALLY, I would appreciate it if you would shut your piehole and let me live my own life." I interrupted her.

"Excuse me?!" Tess yelled, now getting pretty angry.

"Aight, chill. Let's just drop the thing already." I insisted. Tess sighed again before managing to keep her cool. She does shoot a glare at me before showing a calm look.

"Yeah, you're right. We haven't got to know about Sonic yet!" She reminded.

"Oh, r-right! Like Nifty, I've always been interested in Pokémon, and I play video games to relieve stress and just have fun," Sonic said, "But unlike Nifty, who does his smack talk whenever he's mad, I'm much more of a passive aggressive person. I also don't swear. Ever. Nifty only does it when his parents are not around."

"That's the truth." I but in the conversation to say that one line.

"It's not wrong to say nasty words. I do swear at very rare times, like that time at the beach. But I only swear if I'm angry. That's about it." Tess said.

"Wow! You guys are like an amazing group together! You should make your own group name while you're at it!" Rotom suggested.

"How's the data coming along, Rotom?" I asked.

"Perfect! Azzz you can zzzee on my screen, bzzt, I have your normal physical appearance, along with a brief description of your personality!" Rotom answered.

"I would like to hear some of it!" Jake insisted.

"I'm on it!" Rotom saluted, and then goes through the data inside of him. After a couple more seconds, the screen shows an image of me in some cool pose.

"First up, we have Nifty: the savage!"

Hm. Pretty neat title for me. I do consider myself savage. The next image shows Sonic, with a look that speaks to him saying "I'm right with ya".

"Sonic: the guardian!"

Guardian, eh? That is also cool. I'm glad he was able to get a good title. The next image is Jake, in a very excited pose, and look.

"Jake: the helper!"

Helper... I dunno if I agree on that. He did bail out on the volcano incident, and he did hide when the storm from Kyogre came.

We'll see about that...

And of course, the last image shows Tess, and the look showed her being determined.

"And Tess: the protector!"

Ooh! Okay, I like that.

"That's nice we are all a group now. But for now, let's rest. Because we really need it after... Rotom." Tess suggested.

"Hey! I am a Ghost type for a reason, you know!" Rotom retorted angrily.

"Yeah, I'm beat. As much as we have a lot to do, we all need rest." Jake said.

"What happened to never sleeping, Jake?" I teased.

"T-That was an over exaggeration!" Jake yelled. All of us manage to chuckle.

"Itzzz been nice meeting you guyzzz. Tomorrow, we zzztart a brand new day." Rotom said.

"Yep. Let's get some sleep." I replied.

* * *

-3rd person POV-

The four change into their pajamas, and when the sky turned dark, they were already asleep. And Rotom was down as well to re-charge his battery power.

Everyone is having a peaceful sleep. Well... except for Sonic. Sonic was turning a little as he thought about what Kevin said. From both situations at Brimber City AND Route 9.

 _"What's that going to accomplish? Just because you did that doesn't mean you're strong."_

 _"Heh heh... you guys are slow. Like, a lot."_

 _"Aww, what's the matter, Sonic? Are you gonna cry because of our last encounter?"_

 _"You're not strong, you really suck. If you want to get stronger... find some better Pokémon, scum."_

Those lines really hit him hard. And mental stuff like this can really affect people. Probably more than physical stuff at times.

Sonic woke up as he looks around. He felt like he needed to get stronger. Not only to save his parents... and not only to save Nifty's parents as well.

But during his adventure, he wants to prove Kevin wrong.

So Sonic gets up, changed back into his clothes, and he wanders out of the city. Since everyone is asleep, there was no telling where he could be heading.

* * *

*5 minutes later*

Sonic arrived back at Fortulose Manor. He looks at the huge mansion and sighs. But his decision wasn't to go inside it.

He decided to do something outside, where he is right now.

Sonic sets the egg beside him, and he grabs all of his Poke Balls. He threw them all up into the air, and all his Pokémon coming out.

First was Chesnaught, followed by Primarina, then Lycanroc, and then Togepi was last.

"Okay, guys. I brought all of you out because we're going to be doing some training," Sonic said, "This way, we can prove to Kevin that you don't need strong Pokémon for everything, you just need to be their friends and bond with them."

His entire team agreed with him by cheering.

"Okay, now let's get started!" Sonic yelled. And thus, the training began. But somewhere in the tall grass near the manor, there was a mysterious Pokémon watching him.

Since Sonic didn't really have a partner with him right now, his Pokémon were just battling each other. But it was less violent so they don't accidentally hurt each other too bad.

During the training, Togepi learned a new move: Sweet Kiss. And she used that move to her advantage so she can land a hit or two on the other Pokémon.

After 5 more minutes, the training finally stopped.

"Great job, guys. Now we can take a break." Sonic said. That made his Pokémon at ease, since he battling was over.

Sonic made some pokefood for his partners to eat. Once it was done, they do so. Sonic didn't really have any food for him to eat, so he decided that he will once he gets back to the Pokémon Center.

As Sonic stood in a daydreaming trance, he heard noises coming from the grass. That made him realize he was being watched.

"Hey, who's there? Show yourself!" Sonic demanded. And then the one who was making that noise came to him.

It was a super sized Pumpkaboo.

"Whoa! It's a Pumpkaboo! And it's huge! I never seen one that size before." Sonic exclaimed. Pumpkaboo looks at Sonic for a few seconds, curious on the guy.

Then she started dancing and bouncing around while singing a little song.

For Sonic, the song that Pumpkaboo thought of was pretty catchy. He really liked her singing! And all of his Pokémon like it as well.

Except for Primarina. She actually felt jealous because in her mind, she thought that Pumpkaboo was doing this to impress him faster. And yes, that _is_ true, but she kinda thinks of it has something different.

Pumpkaboo stops dancing, and waits for a reaction from her audience. Sonic cheers and claps his hands, while his Pokémon did the same thing. Primarina just stared at the small pumpkin Pokémon.

"That was amazing, Pumpkaboo!" Sonic complimented. Pumpkaboo appreciated the compliment, and she started floating around Sonic, trying to get his affection.

Primarina kept on staring, since she knew that was what Pumpkaboo was trying to do. However, Sonic was confused.

"Are... Are you trying to tell me something?" Sonic questioned. Pumpkaboo just floats up and rubs Sonic's face. She looked at Primarina for a second and just smiles cutely. Then she turned her attention back to Sonic.

"Would you like to come along with me?" Sonic asked. With that said, Pumpkaboo nods, glad that Sonic knew what she was trying to say.

"Hm. I know we'll be great friends, with me and my other Pokémon." Somic said happily. And he remembers one of the items he got at the manor: a Dusk Ball.

He gently threw it at Pumpkaboo, and she went inside. The Dusk Ball had a spooky vibe, so it seemed perfect for a Ghost type in a place like this.

And here fomes the shaking. One...

Two...

Three...

Click!

An easy catch.

"Yes! I caught a Pumpkaboo!" Sonic cheered. And Chesnaught jumps in the air with him.

"Now... come on out." Sonic said, and throws the ball. Pumpkaboo gets sent out, and is happy to see Sonic already.

When she is back, she already starts spinning, singing and dancing, just like when she first met her new trainer.

"Alright, now how about we get back to our training?" Sonic suggested. And his Pokémon agree with him.

He notices that Pumpkaboo and Primarina were having some kind of stare down. Uh oh, it doesn't look like this'll turn out well.

"Oh, well... looks like we have another rivalry in our hands." Sonic said nervously. But he hopes that this won't really affect their friendships too much.

After all, he started at the brink of morning, since the sleeping didn't turn out well. He just wanted to make sure he'll prove Kevin wrong.

But he keeps on training his Pokémon, so he knows that it'll happen someday.

* * *

*back in Rosecove City*

-Nifty's POV-

The sun arrives in the sky, brightening everything. The next day has officially arrived. I haven't thought too much about what happened yesterday. It was more about the good stuff, honestly.

I was the first to wake up. I always am. Dunno if it's just a habit, but I just do.

"Alright! Now, who is ready to get back on the road?" I cheered. But I knew the others were still asleep, so I just looked around.

Jake was there, Tess was also still asleep, and Rotom was on the desk sleeping, or re-charging his batteries. And I also notice an empty bed just sitting there.

Wait.

"Huh? Sonic? Where the heck did he go?" I questioned. That's weird. He is usually with us every time. Did he just walk out in the middle of the night?

"Izzz something wrong, Nifty? Bzzt!" Rotom asked as he approached me.

"Let me wake the others first, please. This is important." I snapped. Rotom didn't mind my sudden reaction though. If anything, I was more worried than angry.

I know Sonic has anxiety, but _geez._

"Jake." I whispered as I gently shake up.

"Oh! Oh Arceus!" Jake shot up, screaming.

"Relax, dude. It's me." I groaned.

"Oh, good morning, Nifty. Why the sudden shake?" Jake asked.

"Sonic is missing." I replied.

"Oh no!" Jake cried. He ran over to Tess's side so he can wake her up to tell her about what happened.

But then he stopped in his tracks. He just stood there nervously as he stared at his crush sleeping.

This is awkward...

"Go ahead! Shake her!" I whisper-screamed.

"She izzz one of your friends, after all!" Rotom reminded. Jake whimpers as he gets a little closer to Tess. Come on, man. It's just waking her up.

He gently pokes her, then hides. I face palmed. That was... ridiculous. Jake makes small scared noises as he tries to do another poke.

"That was a pathetic attempt. Move over." I yelled as I push Jake aside, finally reaching my limit over THIS. I shake Tess, but it wasn't too hard so... she doesn't really get too startled.

It works perfectly. She sits up and yawns.

"Ahh, good morning, everybody. Did you guys sleep well?" Tess greeted while smiling, and rubbing her eyes.

"Tess, I know this is abrupt, but Sonic left all of a sudden. He's not here." I explained. That made her eyes just widen open.

"Oh my Arceus. We gotta find him!" Tess shouted.

"Yeah, let's go." I said.

* * *

*outside Rosecove City*

Back in our normal clothing, and doing normal morning stuff, we stood outside the city, looking around.

"Hey, Rotom. Do ya think you can use your scanning thing to find Sonic?" I asked.

"Well, I can try." Rotom responded. He looks around the place as his big holographic scan searches around the city.

"SCANNING FOR SONIC HARKNAH. SCANNING. SCANNING."

Then a light bulb appears at Rotom's head as he found out.

"Jackpot! Sonic's location is back at Fortulose Manor!" Rotom said. I sighed of relief, and Jake and Tess also felt relieved that he was there.

"Why would Sonic be back there though?" Tess asked, a confused look on her face.

"I'm not sure, but we're gonna find out." I told her. Then we heard a loud boom.

"Holy crap!" Tess yelled.

"Let's make it quick." I warned. So we all rushed out of the city, and back to Route 9, so we can find Fortulose Manor.

* * *

*3 minutes later*

We arrive at the mansion after 3 minutes. We already explored major parts here, so I'm not sure what else Sonic would expect from here.

But what we saw instead was Sonic training with his Pokémon. That is... very unusual. Because Sonic usually trains with me or Jake. It was weird to see Sonic train by himself.

But we knew that this is something he feels like doing, so I suggested to the others (with my hand motions) that we stay back and just watch him, and not interrupt.

The first thing I notice was that Sonic caught a new Pokémon. And that Pokémon is Pumpkaboo. And it was a super sized one, which is very rare out of the other sizes that can be found.

Pumpkaboo was facing against Primarina, Lycanroc was against Chesnaught, and Togepi was more or less training by herself.

And meanwhile, the egg just watches. When it hatches, then Sonic truly has a full team. But eggs still count as a slot anyway.

Even though we have Rotom, I still have my own Pokédex just in case. I scanned Pumpkaboo to see its moves:

Razor Leaf, Astonish, Trick or Treat, and Leech Seed.

Hm. Decent moveset right now.

I put my Pokédex back after that. I probably might not use it again since Rotom is on our side now. And Sonic _did_ point out that he can scan Pokémon and give us all a head start.

We just watch, because this really interests me.

We stood there for a little bit as Sonic's Pokémon continue to battle. After one more minute, Sonic calls them over to end it for now.

"Alright, guys. Good job! We can stop for a bit now." He suggested. And so they calmed down. Sonic looked over, and he saw us watching him.

It had to happen eventually.

While Jake and Tess smile, happy to see our other friend happy, I manage to smirk. I dunno, I just smirk more than I smile.

"I see you were training your Pokémon while we were sleeping." I teased. Sonic nervously smiles, and he does chuckle a tiny bit.

"Y-Yeah. That's because I want to be prepared for what to expect next. That includes the Gym at Anthian City." He explained.

"Heh, I thought so. And I see you have a new member on your team." I said, pointing at Pumpkaboo.

"I gotcha covered, Nifty!" Rotom insisted. And it took less than a second for Rotom to shows images of Pumpkaboo on his screen. But since Pumpkaboo has four different sizes, it shows all of those sizes on the screen.

 _"Pumpkaboo: the Pumpkin Pokémon. A Ghost and Grass type. The pumpkin body is inhabited by a spirit trapped in this world. As the sun sets, it becomes restless and active."_

"Whoa. That's... disturbing." Sonic said, a little nervous.

"Yeah. That's a little scary." Jake agreed, also feeling a bit scared.

"Well, now that we managed to find you... how about we move on and go to Anthian City?" I suggest.

"Okay!" Sonic said happily while nodding.

"Everyone, return." Sonic returns all of his Pokémon except for Togepi.

However, Pumpkaboo dodges the beam. It seems like she doesn't want to be returned just yet.

"Huh? What's wrong, Pumpkaboo?" Sonic asked. And Pumpkaboo just goes up to Sonic's face and rubs herself against his.

I felt like Sonic knew what the small one was trying to say (though it's... very weird). I heard Sonic translate to saying:

"You want to stay out and travel with me and Togepi, don't you?"

And Pumpkaboo nods. Translation was correct.

"I'll hold the egg, Sonic!" Jake offered, and he did so.

"Oh, thanks Jake. I appreciate it, since I kinda have my hands full." Sonic responded. It's true. I mean, he's gonna be holding Togepi as we walk, and Pumpkaboo is gonna float around him.

I'm glad Jake took up on that offer.

"Okay, let's go. Next stop, Anthian City!" Sonic cheered.

And finally, we are leaving the mansion. For real this time. And no going back to it, because we already explored enough.

Our first direction we decided to head to was South. I mean, I know Route 10 is over the other way, but I wanna see what else is there.

"Let's go check out what's over there." I said to the group. And we just kept walking. Fortunately, there were no trainers nearby. At least ones that don't notice us.

Look at that. It's another gateway. And this one is normal, like all the others. So no more freaking out about anything a lot. Let's see what's on the other side.

* * *

Well, I can already tell that this is a new place. I don't even know what it is.

"Whoa!" Sonic yelped, amazed by it. In front of us, there were hills, grass patches, and... three giant trees. One is like a normal tree, one is a fire tree, and the last one is a water tree.

That really stood out about this amazing area.

"What is this place?" I questioned.

"Oh! This is the Grove of Dreams!" Tess exclaimed, "I heard about this place. My grandpa told me stories about it, and I also heard that there is a mythical Pokémon called Jirachi, who stays here."

"According to my readingzzz, Jirachi is a very rare Pokémon that sleeps for 1000 years. When it awakens, it has the ability to make any wish come true!" Rotom said.

"Oh my Arceus," I said, "That is interesting. I never knew about that when I was in school. They told us about some mythical Pokémon, but... not all of them."

We decide to look around. After all, since this is a new place, it's better to explore what is here. We actually might find something good.

As we walk around some more, Sonic finds a small river, connected by a bridge. It seems there is a lot more to explore just across this place.

Sonic walks up to the river and puts his hand on the water.

"Hmm. The water feels really nice here. And it looks nice as well." He complimented. But just as soon as he said that, a Dratini jumps out at him. The rest of us weren't affected as much since we were farther away.

Dratini immediately attacks with Dragon Rage. But Pumpkaboo runs in front of Sonic and counters the attack with Razor Leaf.

"Okay, guys, stay back. This is Sonic's battle. He'll need this." I whispered to the rest of the group. We all stood back some more as we watch Sonic battle.

A wild Dratini appeared, and Sonic isn't backing down.

"Thanks for the help, Pumpkaboo, but this Dratini is not happy. So we have no choice but to battle it." Sonic said.

"Ka!" The small pumpkin creature cheered as a result. Dratini immediately tries to intimidate Pumpkaboo by using Leer.

"Use Astonish!" Sonic shouted. With a quick movement, Pumpkaboo dodges the small intimidate and swipes at Dratini, with brute force. It was a weak attack, but it sure did enough.

"Great job, Pumpkaboo! Now use Leech Seed!" Sonic yelled. Pumpakoo obeys the command, and shoots out a few seeds. Immediately, Dratini become wrapped in vines.

But it manages to escape, then slithers over to Pumpkaboo. Dratini uses its small tail to wrap Pumpkaboo's body. But Pumpkaboo is way too big, and Dratini is very small. So that didn't really work out.

But before Sonic shouts a command to let Pumpkaboo attack, Dratini uses Thunder Wave and paralyzes the ghost.

"Oh no! H-Hang in there, Pumpkaboo!" Sonic cried. And like before, Dratini tries attacking by using Dragon Rage.

"Quick! Razor Leaf!" Sonic exclaimed. Despite being paralyzed, Pumpkaboo uses the attack and once again counters it.

"Now, let's see if I can catch it." Sonic said quietly, and throws a Poke Ball. Dratini tries to avoid it, but it gets sucked inside anyway. We all see the Poke Ball on the ground, to see if it can contain Dratini for long enough.

One shake...

Two...

Three...

.

.

A moment of silence...

.

Click!

One attempt. Seriously though, I was impressed by that. This just proves anything to this adventure so far: othing is going to beat down my friend. And if anyone tries to put him down, I'm there for him.

We see the ball turn small. Ah, yes. I know that reason.

"Huh? What happened to the Poke Ball?" Sonic asked as he approched and, it held it in the palm of his hand.

"Well, since you have six Pokémon in your party, the Poke Ball just turns small." Tess replied.

"Oh, so _that's_ what happens to the Poke Ball when you have a whole team!" Sonic said as he smiles, "That is really cool. But that means I'll have to send Dratini to the PC."

"We can stop by the Pokémon Center in Rosecove City again." I told him.

"Sure. Luckily, my parents have a PC back at my home, so Dratini will stay there," Sonic responded, "Plus, it comes equipped with a backyard where the Pokémon can run around and play. It's perfect!"

* * *

We walked all the way back to Rosecove City. Again. Hopefully this'll be the last stop we'll make.

We stepped inside the Pokémon Center. I looked around suspiciously to see who else is here right now.

Welp, it looks like Professor Cypress isn't here anymore. I wonder where he went...

Sonic walks up to the PC, and he sees Dratini inside it. He touches the screen to pull up a menu that shows many different options. One of those options being to send the Pokémon there to a specific PC.

And that's what Sonic did. I have a feeling that someone will be there to care for Dratini if his parents are still gone.

But I know for a fact that we will find them, along with mine.

"Alrigt, that should do it. Now let's go explore the Grove of Dreams!" Sonic insisted.

"Way ahead of you, mate." I said. And we walk out of the center, back to Route 9.

* * *

*meanwhile...*

*location: Sonic's home*

-3rd person POV-

Even though Sonic's parents were kidnapped, their Pokémon managed to escape. It was the three that Sonic always remembers: Lucario, Talonflame, and Ampharos.

The three Pokémon were helping around the house until their trainers return. Suddenly, they heard the PC go off.

They walk up to it to see another Pokémon get transported there. And that Pokémon turns out to be Dratini. What a wonderful surprise!

Lucario smiles as he waves at Dratini. But the poor little thing felt scared, so he hides from them. Lucario sighs, since it seems like this'll be harder than he thought.

He told Talonflame and Ampharos to stand back, so he can talk to Dratini himself. The two nod, and they walk away.

Lucario does his best to convince Dratini to come out, and tell him it'll be okay. Since they're all safe here. It works, and Dratini follows Lucario to the backyard that any Pokémon can play at.

It seemed nervous to be here now, but Dratini will get used to it.

 **A/N: Alright, fellas! I hope y'all enjoyed it! :D**

 **Also, I just want to share that seeing the scene of Dratini attacking reminds me of another Brick Bronze fanfic on Wattpad; that fanfic is called "Pokémon Roria: A Memorial to Pokémon Brick Bronze" by AyeCrusher0901, and it's on Wattpad. Nifty does make a minir appearance in one of the chapters, so be sure to check that story out! :)**

 **To be honest, I was also thinking of making Pokémon Brick Bronze: An Admin Story on Wattpad as well. And when I say that, I don't mean deleting it on this website. I was thinking of putting the story on both of those websites to see if any other audience is okay with it. But maybe I'll decide another time.**

 **That's all I got in store. Next chapter will be when the group meet Jirachi. Have a great day!**

 **P.S.: I know this chapter seemed rushed. But next one will have plenty more action in it. Make sure to stay tuned! :D**


	20. Eclipse Duo and Jirachi

**And here, dudes, is another chapter for this story. And this time, it's the encounter of the group's first mythical/legendary.**

 **Ready to see what's in store for them? Here we go! :D**

* * *

-Nifty's POV-

Alright. Now, for real this time, we exit Rosecove City and end up back in Route 9. Due to Sonic catching two Pokémon in one sitting, I think it's safe to say that we are getting way, WAY stronger by the moment.

"Okay, guys. For our first stop, let's go back to the Grove of Dreams," I said, "Rotom did say Jirachi was there. If we're lucky, we might be able to get some help."

"Sounds like a good idea, Nifty! Lead the way!" Jake offered. And I gladly accepted it.

* * *

So we go back to Route 9. And this time, we are gaining some progress. There's no way we can waste anymore time if any situations happen.

First Rotom, then Pumpkaboo, and a Dratini. I wonder if Jirachi is gonna be next...

But then again, we have to be extremely lucky.

We walk through the small patch of tall grass. It was simple enough, since no wild Pokémon attacked us, unlike the first time at the Grove of Dreams.

The huge tree in the middle covered enough shade for all of us. Not that it mattered, since it wasn't _humid_ today. If it was, that would suck.

With my friends behind me, we continued our little walk. But eventually, another one of those campers found us. Since I was in front, I was he first sight that he saw.

"I've been admiring this large tree for quite some time." He said.

"Just the one?" I questioned.

"It fills the air with a powerful freshness. It makes me feel great. Good enough to battle, even." The guy reminded.

"Well, if ya wanna battle, then let's just do it." I sighed.

* * *

Alright, pal. Let's see what you have in store for me today.

"Go, Pichu!"

The small electric mouse hops on the ground once it was sent out, then does a happy dance. Really? That's your first Pokémon?

Alright. Have it your way then.

"Kay, Tyrunt. You're up." I said, sending out my first Pokémon. I decided to wait later on for Honedge so he can get some leveling up as well.

"Start things off with Ancient Power!" I yelled, getting my battling mood over my head. Tyrunt roars as the fossilized rocks formed, then throws them at Pichu.

Pichu wasn't really prepared, especially since it's considered one of those "baby Pokémon". But I can still get a little experience every now and then.

"Paralyze him with Thunder Wave!"

An electrical wave gets shot towards Tyrunt. Ooh, think a status condition is gonna work? Nice try. I have a plan.

"Don't get discouraged! Dodge it by using Stomp!" I shouted. And with that, Tyrunt dodges the incoming attack by his high jump, then unleashes his own attack right down on Pichu.

"And finish it with Dragon Claw!" I continued. Tyrunt roars as his sharp claws turn a dark purple color. He slashes them, and it ended up defeating Pichu.

As I notice the camper return his first Pokémon, I wonder who else he is gonna have on his team.

"Go! Grovyle!" He called out. Ooh, a starter! Oh-ho, this is gonna be neat! This is a challenge I can get by.

"Kay, Tyrunt. Return." I said. I return Tyrunt back, and decide who I am gonna use next.

Ya know, I would go for Charizard. But I'm gonna let my other Pokémon have a chance as well.

"You're up, Nidoking!" I shouted, throwing another Poke Ball in the air. Out came Nidoking, looking determined like the rest of my team.

Grass type moves will be a regular effect since Nidoking is part Ground type. But still, there's no backing down here.

"Grovyle, use Leaf Blade!" I heard the camper shout. Grovyle grows a large, green blade near his hand, and then runs at Nidoking.

He can tank the hit easily. But I gotta try countering some stuff as well.

"Challenge it by using Horn Attack!" I reminded. Nidoking retaliates the Leaf Blade with his powerful Horn Attack.

"And Double Kick." I said. It was too late for Grovyle to try and react to that.

"Whoa! I gotta say, Nifty is incredibly fast when it comes to using one move after another!" Tess exclaimed.

"When in Pokémon battles, you always have to think quickly." Sonic said.

"I gotta work on that!" Jake giggled.

"Pursuit!" Back to my battle, my opponent yells his next move.

This time, the attack landed. Nidoking stumbled, but the look on his face showed he took that attack EASILY.

Just gotta make sure he doesn't get hit for TOO much.

"Poison Sting! Keep shooting it!" I shouted. Nidoking shoots out a fury of Poison Stings. Grovyle dodges the first couple. But by the fourth one, it made him trip.

"Thrash! End this!" I screamed. Nidoking charges to Grovyle, and starts thrashing the crap outta him.

And what do you know. It worked. Thrash IS a very powerful move. But it is quite risky.

"And now, for my last Pokémon that's ready to fight... Linoone!"

Ahh, a normal type. Perfect. Because I have the perfect Pokémon to defeat this om easily. I return Nidoking back, and pull out my Ultra Ball.

Yep. I'm going with this.

"Honedge! It's your turn now!" I cheer, throwing the ball. Honedge glares at Linoone, being a Ghost type and all.

The part Steel type is really gonna come in handy! I just know it!

"Now, go, go! Fury Swipes!"

Lineoone tries to get a swing at Honedge with sharp claws. But...

The claws phase right through Honedge. The small sword just tilts itself right a bit. Linoone yelps, and backs away from Honedge.

Geez, I guess it never saw a Ghost type yet...

"Kay, use Pursuit." I said bluntly. Honedge grabs its hilt with its only cloth hand, and then unleashes a dark energy at Linoone.

Yes, Honedge also has Shadow Sneak. But it's not gonna do anything. Every advantage comes at a price.

"D-Don't get scared yet, Linoone! Try and attack with Covet!"

I could tell that this camper was also getting nervous just by what he was seeing. Linoone shook, and then tries to attack.

Nothing.

It once again phases through the ghost sword.

"T-Try it again!"

This guy hasn't learned? Wow, I am impressed. Linoone tries attacking again. And again. But Honedge just stood there, bored.

"Aerial Ace." I sighed. Whack! A slash of that attack sure did much. And Linoone fainted. Not ONLY from the attack. But I get nervousness as well.

"Win or lose, I'm not leaving this place." The guy exclaimed.

"Suit yourself." I said with a shrug. Honedge just stares bluntly at the camper. I'll give Honedge a true challenge someday, and that'll give him a chance to grow.

* * *

Moving on. We travel around the other sides of the tree. It was huge, and yes, like that guy mentioned, it gives off fresh air.

Like basically any other tree...

"That wazzz certainly expected when Honedge fought against Linoone, bzzt!" Rotom exclaimed, "Normal type movezzz do not affect Ghost type Pokémon! And vice verzza! I gotta say, Nifty, bzzt, your knowledge of battling is very good!"

"Yep. That's just how I roll." I chuckle.

Walking along, and another guy notices us altogether. He had darker skin, and a purple and black shirt. Along with black, messy hair.

"What's good?!" He screamed excitedly at us.

"Uh... hi?" Sonic mumbled.

"I'm here to see the great tree of the forest for myself. I'm from Anthian City, and don't get away from the big city much." The man explained.

"We were planning on visiting there soon." Sonic reminded.

"Maybe we'll battle to show experiences from other places we originate at!"

"That sounds fine!"

* * *

Oof, nice way to end a conversation before a battle. No, I'm serious.

"Okay, Exeggcute. We are ready for a battle!" The journalist shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Alright. Not a bad start.

Now, Sonic. I bet I know he is gonna use.

"Let's fight Grass with Grass! Come on out, Pumpkaboo!" Sonic cheered, sending out his first Pokémon. Yeah, that would be the only typing to make sense. Psychic is weak to Ghost, so that is perfect.

"Exeggcute, use Stun Spore!"

Uh oh! I already do not like the sound of that. Pumpkaboo already had to go through paralysis after the situation with Dratini. And I don't wanna stop of the Pokémon Center again.

But luckily, we did pack some potions and stuff. So that helps that problem.

"Pumpkaboo, dodge the attack, then use Razor Leaf!" Sonic yelled. Pumpkaboo just rolls around to dodge the powder, then uses his attack of sharp leaves and throws them at Exeggcute.

It didn't do much. But at least it worked.

"And now Astonish!" Sonic continued. Pumpkaboo floats up to Exeggcute eerily, then slashes him with a ghostly energy.

And Exeggcute couldn't attack back. It was a flinch.

"Whoa, you made him flinch! Excellent!" I complimented.

"Thanks, Nifty!" Sonic chuckled, "I'm gonna try getting it better from here! Pumpkaboo, Leech Seed!"

Pumpkaboo shoots out a few seeds, then those seeds go into the ground. Soon, vines wrap around Exeggcute.

"While you're stuck, Exeggcute, use Poison Powder!" The man shouted.

Does this guy have a Pokémon that knows all the powder moves? Wow. That's... _interesting._

"Use Razor Leaf to cut through it!" Sonic exclaimed. So Pumpkaboo counters the pouder with very sharp leaves.

Somehow, it worked. I don't know how, but it worked big time.

Exeggcute groans as some of its health was taken. Though Pumpkaboo was at full HP, he absorbed some of it.

"And Astonish one last time!" Sonic cheered. And that attack did it.

Exeggcute fainted due to all those attacks. It was a perfect setup.

"Well, at least I have a second one!" The journalist said nervously. Ugh, again with the variety thing!

I don't know what to think at this point...

"Use Confusion!"

That sudden command, and Pumpkaboo yelps as he was lifted into the air. Then was thrown sideways, onto a tree.

"You okay, Pumpkaboo?" Sonic asked. Pumpkaboo just easily gets up, and cheers as if nothing happened. Yep. That's a Ghost type for ya.

"Great! Use Leech Seed for trapping him again!" Sonic demanded. Again, Pumpkaboo does the same strategy as the last time.

Exeggcute couldn't move thanks to those vines. Like the last one.

"Astonish!" Sonic yelped. And the super effective attacks lands. This time, it took down Exeggcute in one hit.

Was that one weaker than the other one, or did that Exeggcute just didn't feel like dealing with a part Ghost type today?

"And now for one more... Mightyena, go!"

Well, at least this dude's last Pokémon is good.

"Hey, Pumpkaboo. I'm going to switch things up a bit. Would it be okay if you would stay inside your Poke Ball for this turn?" Sonic asked. As much as Pumpkaboo didn't want to, she understood. She rubs herself against Sonic's face, which made him chuckle.

After that affectionate moment, Pumpkaboo is sent back to her Ball.

"This'll be the next big matchup. Lycanroc, it's up to you!" Sonic shouted. Lycanroc roars as he lands, ready for the battle.

"And as usual, start this with Accelerock!"

Mightyena couldn't comprehend a very fast attack coming so quickly. It did little damage, but at least it was a good start.

"Swagger." Sonic's opponent said. And with this teasing attack, Lycanroc gets furious. This not only made his attacks rise, but also made him confused as a result.

"No! Hang in there, Lycanroc!" Sonic cried.

"Use Assurance!" Journalist shouted. Mightyena runs up and smacks Lycanroc with its paw. Lycanroc fell to the floor, wincing from the attack.

But poor guy was stumbling continuously as the confusion was still taking its place.

I just growl. Sonic had to find a way. But he is a smart guy. So I believe him.

"Embargo!"

Well, there goes using a Full Heal or anything that helps confusion. Mightyena prevented that with that specific move.

"It's okay, Lycanroc. Just stay calm, because I feel like this plan could work." Sonic whispered.

"Mightyena, use Assurance one more time!" The journalist shouted.

"NOW! COUNTER!" Sonic screamed. Lycanroc's confusion ends as he stares at the running Mightyena coming to him.

As Mightyena prepared to attack, Lycanroc uses his own claw for a counter. It sent Mightyena flying.

"Finish this with Rock Tomb!" Sonic cheers. The giant, slow rocks come falling down. Mightyena tried to avoid those slow rocks... but eh, it was too late.

The battle is over.

"Looks like I need more practice." The guy said bashfully. I could give off two tips. One, get more Pokémon. Two, variety.

* * *

I won't lie; this forest is a very cool place. I'd like to walk around here from time to time. But that is then. This is now. And now is to move onto the Grove of Dreams.

"Sonic," Rotom yelped, "Your battling is also amazing! If I keep collecting data like thizzz, it'll allow me to give suggestions and help for future battles!"

"That would be nice!" Sonic giggled.

We kept moving around the tree... and eventually, a hiker spots us.

"I was picking up and collecting pine cones, when suddenly one attacked me. Have a look for yourself!" He exclaimed.

"Hey, boys. Why not leave this one to me? I'd like to try a singular battle." Tess suggested.

"Go for it, Tess." I said.

"You can do it!" Jake and Sonic yelled in unison. I'd like to see how this goes.

* * *

Tess's main team is a bunch of Dragon types, along with Frillish. There is no way this hiker stands a chance.

"Pineco, view the sights!" He shouted. Ah, so this is why he said that the pine cones attacked him. Because they were Pineco the whole time.

"Okay... I choose you, Gabite!" Tess yelled, and sent out her first Pokémon. So, a Dragon/Ground type against a Bug type.

This is gonna turn out well for Tess.

"Rapid Spin!" The hiker yelled. Pineco spun around rapidly, and headed towards Gabite. If I were to give Tess some tips, I gladly would.

But I'm gonna let her figure it out on her own, just so she can get used to what real battles are like.

"Hmm... Gabite, use Sand Tomb!" Tess exclaimed. The small tornado of sand made Pineco get trapped imside it. He was still spinning, yes, but he didn't go forward any farther since he was in the Sand Tomb.

"Whoa! Nice job with the trap, Tess!" Sonic complimented.

"Yeah! That was AMAZING!" Jake screamed.

"Heh heh... I learned from the best." Tess said with a smile and a wink.

"Start a setup with spikes!" I hear Tess's opponent yell. Well, on the bright side, Tess won't really get affected by that if she doesn't switch out. But I do expect her to since it's nice to change things around a bit.

"Don't let your guard down, Gabite! Hit em with a fresh Slash!" Tess shouted. Gabite sprinted up to Pineco, and slashed him with all his might.

"Sink the attack in, Pineco! Store up a charge with Bide!" The hiker exclaimed. Pineco growls quietly, and stores up a charge.

"Hey, Tess. Think about this carefully. You never know what may happen." I reminded her.

"You got it, Nifty!" Tess said, "Now, Gabite, use Take Down!"

Pineco takes the attack, it does damage, and Gabite gets the recoil. But Pineco didn't look hurt thanks to that Bide.

"Use Slash one more time!" Tess continued. Again, Gabite slashes. To Pineco, it did nothing.

Then Pineco rolls over to Gabite, ready to attack.

"SAND TOMB!" Tess yelped. As Pineco grew closer, he was met with another sudden Sand Tomb. And when that attack was done...

Pineco fainted.

"Holy crap. I... did not know that was going to work." Tess said in astonishment.

"Does it matter? You did do good out there." I responded.

"I still have more work ahead of me." Tess sighed.

"Ya know, lass," Hiker said, "I do appreciate your skills thus far. But I still have... a second Pineco!"

And he sent out a second Pineco. Oh Arceus, lord have mercy...

"Variety please..." I mumbled under my breath.

"What do you say, Gabite? You wanna keep battling?" Tess asked her main Pokémon. Gabite shouts in a happy way, still ready as ever.

"Wow, Gabite's spirit is really high! He certainly is ready for a battle!" Sonic complimented.

"He sure is." Tess agreed.

"Rapid Spin!"

"Collide into him with Take Down!" Tess yelled as soon as she heard the hiker's command. Surpisingly, thwne the two collided, Gabite managed to push Pineco back with his attack. Dear goodness.

That's skill right there. This hiker dude isn't really the best when it comes to non-variety. Speaking of which, he tried to yell:

"Use Bide and-"

"Sand Tomb, quickly!" Tess exclaimed. And wouldn't you know it, that hit. Too late to attack now, my friend.

And that Pineco fainted. Wow, that was fast.

"Geez, this man hasn't learned with the Pinecos, hasn't he...?" Tess groaned. Speaking of this man, he was surprised. Not only because those two fainted.

But also because he realized they weren't even regular pine cones...

"Now to use my experienced member! Graveler, it's your turn!" He shouted. Well, at least it isn't another Pineco.

"Kay, Gabite. Return." Tess said, and returns Gabite back to his Poke Ball. Tess pulled out another one. Oh my. Do I think I know what this is gonna be?

"Frillish! Go!" Tess yelled, and threw the ball into the air. Frillish gracefully lands on the ground. He looked around, and noticed that he was in a battle.

He felt a little pain from the spikes that the first Pineco set up, but it didn't bother him too much.

"Okay, Frillish. I know you still have your moments with Kevin," Tess said, "But trust me on this! You have me, along with Nifty, Jake, and Sonic! So just believe in us together, and we can accomplish this battle!"

"Lish!" The small water ghost cheered.

"Graveler, use Smack Down!"

Graveler shoots a big rock at Frillish, and Frillish felt that rock pushing him down when it hit.

"Hang in there, Frillish! Use Night Shade!" Tess yelled. Frillish did as he was told, and shot a ghostly energy at Graveler.

It did little damage, but it sure is better than nothing.

"Bulldoze!"

So that was his next move. Graveler starts a small earthquake near us, and all of us felt it.

"Frillish, Double Team!" Tess shouted. Frillish multiplied himself into many, many different clones of himself. All the clones floated up in the air, circling around Graveler.

"Now, charge up a Water Pulse!" Tess cheered. A water orb forms in Frillish's arms. This hiker was getting really worried, and he felt it.

"U-uh... uh... Self Destruct!" He screamed. Graveler roared as he unleases his powerful attack. This one attack affected Frillish and all of his clones.

Graveler fainted as a result of this move. It's just how it works. However...

Frillish was still standing. The clones are gone, but Tess's new partner was still standing as if nothing happened.

"Of course! Just like I told Nifty earlier, Frillish didn't feel a thing! That wazzz well thought!" Rotom gasped.

"Yeah. I was gonna go with Shelgon, but I want Frillish to get used to me after what Kevin did to him." Tess told the floating 'Dex.

"My pine cones were Pineco all along." The hiker said as he returns his fainted Pokémon.

"Yeah, what was your first clue?" Tess sighed.

* * *

With Frillish back in his Poke Ball, we continued our journey to the Grove of Dreams.

"Your strength really showzzz how determined you guyzzz are. Keep it up!" Rotom reminded,

"We're not stopping there." Tess said. We saw so many trees, but we kept away from them. We walked along the pathways _by_ the trees to find out what more there is.

And soon, a female picnicker spotted us.

"That shrine has been here in the forest for centuries. It's supposedly a relic to one of the most mysterious Pokémon in mythology. That's just a rumor, though." She explained.

"I think we're getting close." Jake whispered to us.

"Enough talk about that, let's have a battle!" The girl shouted excitedly.

"Kay, Jake. Go for it." I said.

"O-Oh, it's my turn?!" Jake yelled.

"We got our chances to battle. Now it's your turn. Bud, you can do this." I responded.

"Wish me luck, guys." Was all Jake said after that.

* * *

I have a feeling Jake can do this. He will have a huge chance against that girl.

"Kirlia, go!" She yelled, sending out her first Pokémon.

"I choose you, Vaporeon!" Jake shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Sonic, Tess and I just cheer him on.

Jake, you may have not defeated me and Sonic, but I do know you can defeat her. It's the power of believing that really matters.

"Vaporeon, use Aurora Beam!" Jake commanded. And Vaporeaon shoots out a magic beam, hidden with ice. As expected it works on Kirlia.

Decent damage, it seemed like it was almost halfway.

"Kirlia, Magical Leaf!"

Similar to Razor Leaf, Kirlia starts up a Magical Leaf attack with sharp leaves. This time, they looked more powerful than usual.

I snap my fingers. Jake would have to do something quick.

"Psst, Jake. Think what Sonic and I would do." I whispered.

"Ohh! Vaporeon, stick all the leaves in with Water Pulse!" Jake shouted. Vaporeon made a Water Pulse, and the Magical Leaf got stuck inside the orb.

"Whoa! How doezzz that happen?" Rotom exclaimed.

"It's unknown. But we just accept that ir works either way." I replied.

"Vaporeon! Now, setup with Aqua Ring!" Jake yelled. Vaporeon surrounds himself in the ring of water. With that, he will now slowly heal every turn.

"Kirlia, quick, use Heal Pulse!" The picnicker shouted. Kirlia focused her energy to heal.

"Don't let her use it! Vaporeon, Water Pulse again!" Jake demanded. Before Kirlia could heal herself, the Water Pulse already attacked her.

And she fainted after that.

"Next Pokémon... Weepinbell!"

So an actuall Grass type this time. Not to mention it's secondary type, being Poison. Since it's Jake and Vaporeon, I only worry about Grass moves.

"Vaporeon, use Aurora Beam again!" Jake exclaimed. Since the move is an Ice type, it was super effective! Unfortunately, even though Weepinbell took it, it wasn't enough.

"Stun Spore!" The young lady yelled.

Oh crap, not this again. The yellow power affected Vaporeon, and hat made him paralyzed. Aqua Ring doesn't have anytning against that, sadly. Just health.

"Nooo! Vaporeon!" Jake cried.

"Statuses may be a huge disadvantage, bzzt, but you have to keep going!" Rotom reminded.

"Yeah... you're right! Vaporeon, ease up with Acid Armor!" Jake exclaimed. The Aqua Ring is still activated, so that gave Vaporeon a chance to raise his cellular structure in order to raise his defense. It looked like Vaporeon was invisible, but that look only laster for a few seconds.

Now the defense has risen up.

"Acid!"

So after Acid Armor, this gal decides a Poison attack.

"Aurora Beam again!" Jake yelped. That beam cut right throuh the attack. And it was enough to take Weepinbell down.

Even Jake was surprised when seeing that. That's just what happens when you make risks.

"O-okay then. Next up... Azurill!" I hear the picnicker shout. Hmm, kinda counterproductive. Doesn't look like that's gonna work well.

Jake looked at Vaporeon, who was struggling to stay still with the paralysis still on him.

"Okay, Vaporeon. Return. The others will continue the battle." Jake said with a small smile. He returns Vaporeon back shortly after.

"You're next, Nidorino!" Jake regained his determination back as he sent out his next Pokémon. Perfect matchup.

I wouldn't have thought of anyone else.

"Use Horn Attack!" Jake commanded. Nidorino rammed right into Azurill, who tripped upon taking the hit. Wasn't enough though.

"Bounce!"

Ooh, a Flying type move. And not the slang kind of "bounce". Seriously, who even says it like slang anymore...

Azurill landed its tail right on Nidorino. Nidorino groaned as the attack did hurt, but it's gonna take more than that after seeing the outcome.

"Fury Attack!" Jake exclaimed. Nidorino rams his horn on Azurill multiple times. But Azurill barely dodged it.

"Bubble Beam!" The lady yelled. Azurill let out a bunch of bubbles from its mouth. They all hit Nidorino, and he stumbled a bit.

I expect more. Jake, my pal, you can do this!

"And now, SLAM!"

Guess not the first move for Jake this time. Like Bounce, Azurill was high up, about to slam its tail right on Nidorino.

"Posion Sting, quickly!" Jake shouted. Nidorino shot out its small, but sharp stinger attack. Azurill got hit by it since it was still falling.

And it is enough. Azurill is down.

"And my last Pokémon today... I got Roselia!" The girl picnicker shouted. Another Grass/Poison type? At least this one is better.

Jake decided to return Nidorino. And use someone else. And I know it's not Vaporeon since he is still paralyzed from Weepinbell's Stun Spore.

"Finish this for us, Zebstrika!" Jake shouted, sending out his next Pokémon. I like the sound of that. Get ready for a good finish, Jake.

"Roselia, Giga Drain!" The young girl demanded. Roselia's body glows a bright green, and wraps vines around Zebstrika. Slowly, Roselia draned Zebstrika's energy.

"Break out of it with Spark!" Jake exclaimed. A bunch of electric in a circular shape flown out to the vines like some kind of wave. With that, Zebstrika was freed. He only lost a little health in the process.

"And now Pursuit!" Jake continued. Another attack hits Roselia easily. Wow, way to ease up on that power, mate.

"No! Use Magical Leaf!"

Wow, this girl hasn't learned unlike the last time with Weepinbell. If Jake knows what he is doing, this battle is gonna end very quickly.

"Flame Charge! Finish her!" Jake screeched. Zebstrika was now surrounded in flames, and charged right into the leaves. They burnt out. Then Zebstrika collided right into Roselia.

Yep. Roselia fainted. Battle's over.

"I need to study more." The Picnicker admitted.

"Just like me!" Jake giggled.

Now that that's done, we walk the opposite way to find the gateway that will lead us to new places, no matter what they may be.

We find one of the green gateways behind some small trees. Hopefully, this'll lead us to the Grove of Dreams.

We walk inside.

* * *

 ***scene: Grove of Dreams***

It looked the same as usual, just like when we first came in here.

"I really like this place!" Jake giggled.

"If I recall correctly, bzzt, I assume all of you are here to find Jirachi?" Rotom asked.

"That's right!" Sonic replied.

"We have to find out if the legends are true." I added. As we observed our surroundings, we saw a house on the left. It was an orangeish color with a green roof. We decided to go inside to see if there were any hints about Jirachi.

The inside of this place was small. And there were only two people inside: a man, and a woman. (If it weren't obvious enough...)

"Well, hello there, young trainers!" The woman greeted.

"Hello, ma'am." I said respectfully. Needed to be nice to her to get nice feedback. It's the perfect thing to do.

"What a pleasant surprise to have visitors in the neck of the woods. Not many people travel out this far." She chuckled.

"Well, I've heard that this grove is a special spot. " Sonic stated.

"Most people out this way are treasure hunters or archeologists." The girl reminded. Hmm, archaeologists...

I wonder if my parents have been here? Along wih Sonic's, since they are partners? Best friends, if so?

"There are rumors of ancient ruins in this forest that used to be protected by an ancient Pokémon," I heard the woman say, "Quite a tale, I know. Nobody has actually discovered anything, though. Imagine something like that near my home, haha."

"You'll be a lucky as hecc boi." I teased.

"Does this mean the Jirachi legend isn't true?" Jake asked sadly.

"No, there hazzz to be, bzzt!" Rotom yelled, "My readings indicate that Jirachi is in this very place! If we search it, we might be able to find Jirachi, and get its help to save Nifty's and Sonic's parents from Team Eclipse!"

I decided to talk to the man after hearing that determined assumption.

"Oh, hi. I was just about to throw out these leftovers." He told me.

"Can I have them?" I asked.

"Hmm... your Pokémon look hungry, so I figure you can give it to them." The guy responded. Ooh, what a lucky give!

Now THAT is a nice prize right there.

"Between you and me, though, it's my wife's cooking, so it may not be the best." The husband said as he gave me the leftovers (like the apple core you see in the games).

"I don't think it matters, dude." I told the man.

"When Pokémon hold leftovers in battle, they regain a little health at the end of every turn." He said. That is a pretty useful item.

I walked back to my friends, who were still talking about seeing of Jirachi is really at this place.

"We should head to the higher places of this grove. That's where those ruins could be!" Sonic suggested.

"If that's the case, then let's head that way." I said with a smirk.

"Lead the way, Nifty!" Jake cheered. I just shrug my shoulders, and agreed to Jake's suggestion.

So, we leave the house, and walked along the grove. This place is huge, not gonna lie. It's definitely worth exploring to areas we haven't been at.

We crossed the bridge, went up some ramps, as as we passed the water tree, we found one explorer just looking over the grove from above.

"I give up. I'll never find those ancient ruins. I doubt they even exist, honestly. If nobody has ever found them, then they can't be real, can they?" He cried.

"Don't listen to him. We have to keep going higher. Look around every nook and cranny." I whispered to the group.

"Itzzz up to you, Nifty." Rotom replied. We kept walking.

Up more ramps, we see the fire tree. But there was nothing else here, except a blocked cave with a symbol above.

That symbol does look familiar, though...

There was nothing else, though. So we went back down.

Back down to the lower grounds, there were some small vines by a wall. Looking through the vines, they actually reveal a hidden passageway!

We walked along the passageway, and it was like some kind of small cave. Up ramps, getting more exercise as we walked and walked.

Why do I get that feeling we're being watched?

When we exit the small cave, we find it. It's the ruins. Well, what do you know. They _are_ real, after all. It just took some well-known eyes to find the passage.

We found a bunch of pillars, some of which are broken. There was something above, with two mini ramps leading there.

It's an alter. A star on the floor, and some kind of stone tablet in front of a pond, with a waterfall. The tablet has a message on it.

Everyone gathered around the circle. I stepped on the star. I took my attention to the message that was displayed. I took a little time to decipher the message, as it was unintelligible.

"What does it say, Nifty?" Sonic asked.

"Well... I think it says 'I wish for', but I-" I tried to say. But then I was interrupted when I heard the ground shake. We have no idea what was happening.

The text began to glow a light blue color. Eventually, light shone down in front of the waterfall, then was direct towards the tablet. And something came down. And all of us knew what it was.

It was Jirachi. It was sleeping, with its small wings wrapped around its body like a newborn baby.

Then they wings got out of its wrapped form, and Jirachi's small. White body, and small arms and legs, freed itself from its tight position.

Jirachi slightly opened its eyes, and brung our attention to us.

"AHH! I KNEW IT! The legends are true!" Rotom screeched.

"Rotom. Shut it." I exclaimed.

"Oh my. This... this is a wonderful sight to see. I can't wait to tell my grandpa about this experience." Tess said happily.

"I got no words! Just plain surprise!" Jake yelped.

"I am also happy to see this." Sonic added. However, I was in awe, staring at Jirachi, while the mythical Pokémon was doing the same to me.

I tried to speak, but then...

 _BANG!_

Jirachi cried as some kind of mechanical arm grabbed Jirachi from behind us. Jirachi was being kidnapped!

"What the HELL?!" I shouted. We all turned around, and we saw that two people were following us the whole time.

The first person was a woman with purple hair wrapped up in a ponytail. The second person was a man with short, yellow hair.

They both had light skin, and the same clothing and shoes. Speaking of the clothing... it was similar to what the Team Eclipse Admins wore. Just with a name on one of the sleeves.

I know where this is heading.

"Aha! Our find was correct!" The girl laughed, "We followed these twerps to the end of the ruins, and got Jirachi before they can get their main wish! Perfect execution!"

"Our mission is complete! The boss is gonna give us a huge promotion for this!" The man agreed. Jirachi was struggling against the machine. But that arm held it tightly. There was no chance of escaping.

"Part of Team Eclipse. This isn't good." Sonic said as he angrily glares at the duo.

"Who even ARE you two?!" Tess shouted. The duo turn to us with evil smiles.

"Asking who we are? We should've known!" The woman chuckled.

"Our knowledge of plans is straightly flown!" The guy added.

"The moons of planets far from our own... a single new lifeform for the eclipse to fully rise: Luna!"

"The noble man with the smarts of space and galaxies! Only working on improving much more than usual: it's Ray!"

They came together.

"Partners in time, partners in crime, we let the new world devour more, and keep us straight in line! We don't have time to keep twerps like you at bay! We're the Team Eclipse Duo, and we stand in your way!"

The two crossed their arms and devilishly smiled at us.

"Holy hell, that motto was so cheesy..." I groaned.

"Hey, cool it! We have been saving this moment for people like you!" Luna yelled angrily.

"You guys said many times yourself that Jirachi was going to help you. Now you have no chance of that!" Ray laughed.

"Give Jirachi back!" Sonic demanded.

"Never! We already have it in our grasp, so you won't even get him back sooner than you expect!" Luna replied.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we have some business to attend to." Ray said.

"Sorry, but none of us are leaving until Jirachi is freed." Tess groaned.

"You heard the lady! You two won't go anywhere!" Jake shouted.

"Annoying, aren't you? I would've known that." Ray groaned.

"Well then, I assume we have to battle in order to get rid of you!" Luna yelled.

"So be it." I said.

* * *

"Double battle starts NOW! Seviper, you're up!" Luna shouted, and sent out her Pokémon. A huge, poisonous serpent Pokémon slithered around as it landed.

"You too, Sableye!" Ray yelled, and sent out his Pokémon. The jewel-eyed Pokémon creepily smiled at us.

"Sonic. Help me out here." I said.

"You got it, Nifty!" Sonic replied.

"And my start for this battle... I choose you, Rhyhorn!" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon.

"Help him out, Primarina!" Sonic yelled. Now this is a nice matchup right here. Especially since I was doing another double battle with my friend against a Team Eclipse Duo.

"Seviper, use Poison Fang!" Luna commanded. Seviper's fangs grew a poison inside of them, and since there was no intended target, he headed for Primarina.

"Primarina, quick, use Icy Wind!" Sonic shouted. Primarina blew her icy cloud, and that stopped Seviper in its tracks.

Seviper quickly slithered away, not wanting to face another Ice wind.

"Rhyhorn, use Stomp on Sableye!" I yelled. When the attack landed, Sableye made sure the attack passed right through him. He did stumble, however.

What was I even thinking.

"Let him regret it! Use Shadow Claw!" Ray screamed. Sableye exclaims as his hand turns into soem sort of shadow punch.

Then he slashes Rhyhorn with all his might. Fortunately, Rhyhorn has great physical defense, so that didn't do too much.

"Primarina, use Disarming voice!" Sonic shouted. Primarina sings a very higt note, and her attack heads towards both Seviper and Sableye. Seviper easily took it, but Sableye felt a bit hurt after that.

"Smack Down on Seviper!" I exclaimed. And Rhyhorn uses his full force rock on the snake.

"Bring it back with Poison Tail!" Luna yelled. Seviper turns around, the tip of its tail turning purple, then stabs the rock, sending it back.

Luckily, it didn't reach Rhyhorn. So Sonic and I were lucky on that.

There could've been a chance of poison if that hit, if it WOULD...

"Sableye, Confuse Ray!" Ray demanded. Sableye's eyes glow, and some small dot circled around Rhyhorn.

Rhyhorn kept staring at it, and eventually, the dot disintegrated. It made Rhyhorn become confused.

"D**n it!" I mumbled.

"Primarina, protect Rhyhorn and use Sparkling Aria!" Sonic shouted. Primarina undos her hair as she charges up the attack.

Then the powerful water move heads towards the two opposing Pokémon.

But Seviper quickly grabbed Sableye, and helped him avoid the attack. Wow, that was cheap. But of course, for them, it worked.

"Fools! You won't get any farther with this battling!" Luna laughed.

"It's not even over yet." I snapped.

"But it's about to be." Ray said with a smirk. He put his arm up, and showed something wrapped around his arm.

No... it can't be!

It was a Mega Ring, with a Keystone in it. I turned to Sableye. I noticed he had a Sablinite in the palm of his hand. The one he DIDN'T use Shadow Claw with.

Ray pressed the Keystone, and energy surges out of it. Energy comes out of the Mega Stone as well.

"Sableye! With our full power and bonds! For our first meeting with these twerps... MEGA EVOLVE!" Ray screamed. Sableye laughed as he undergoes the Mega Evolution process.

By the time it was done, Sableye looked a little different. His physical body color look is the same, yes, but his eyes turned red, and his teeth yellow.

The blue gem in its stomach turned red, and it grew way bigger, that Sableye uses it as a shield.

Sableye Mega Evolved into Mega Sableye.

"S**t. This is gonna be rough..." I sighed.

"Guyzzz! Mega Sableye can block attacks when his shield is activated!" Rotom warned, "However, bzzt, this limits Sableye's movements! Think about when to strike, then unleash the attack!"

"You got this, you two!" Tess called out.

"Defeat the Eclipse Duo!" Jake added.

"You got it." I said with a wink and a smile.

"Sableye, use Foul Play!" Ray commanded. Sableye surrounds itself in dark energy, and he headed for Rhyhorn again.

"Bulldoze!" I yelled. Rhyhorn shook the ground, and Primarina got to a safe spot so she doesn't get hurt either. The confusion didn't make Rhyhorn hit himself! Thank Arceus.

The move stopped Sableye in its tracks. Nothing else.

"Seviper, use Venoshock!" Luna shouted.

"Stop the Venoshock with Bubble Beam, Primarina!" Sonic exclaimed. Primarina saved Rhyhorn from getting hit by the poison attack. The confusion ended from that as well. That was quick...

"Wow, how annoying! How could we ever expect that?!" Luna complained.

"It's worth a risk." Sonic chuckled.

"And now for your punishment. Rhyhorn, Smack Down on Seviper!" I shouted. Seviper got hit by the rock. Certainly, Seviper looked like it was almost down.

Just a little bit more.

"Sableye, Knock Off!" Ray shouted.

"And Seviper, use Night Slash!" Luna commanded. Seviper forms its tail in dark energy, and Sableye charges his attack as well.

"Avoid it by using Stomp!" I exclaimed.

"And Primarina, you do the same with Aqua Jet!" Sonic added. Primarins passes right through the two opposing Pokémon with her Aqua Jet, and Rhyhorn was in the air when they tried to attack.

Rhyhorn landed back down, and sided next to Primarina. Time for the finishing touch.

"Primarina! Disarming Voice, one more time!" Sonic shouted. Sableye and Seviper were now prepared for the incoming attack.

Heh heh, not for long though.

"Trip them up! Bulldoze!" I screamed. The ground was shaking, and everyone tripped. Primarina did as well, but her attack was already making its way there.

With the combination of both the Bulldoze and Disarming Voice, Seviper and Sableye fainted, with Sableye turning back to his normal form.

"Oh, and use Horn Attack on that machine." I continued. Rhyhorn rams the machine with his horn. The machine broke, and Jirachi was freed.

Luna and Ray were flabbergasted. What, have you never seen heroes before?

"How is this possible?!" Luna yelled.

"Those special powers were too much!" Ray cried.

* * *

We all return our Pokémon. The battle is over. Not even a Mega could defeat us. But why just one Pokémon? That's not gonna get anyone too far.

"Alright, Eclipse Duo. We won. And Jirachi goes back to where it once was." Sonic said, glaring at the Duo.

"Now, scram. And don't come back." I demanded.

"This isn't over! We'll be back for you two! And you'll live long to the name of Team Eclipse!" Luna screamed.

"Someday, we shall return!" Ray bellowed as he ran Luna run away.

"Heh heh. But not someday soon." I chuckled, shrugging my shoulders.

Jirachi floated back to the tablet.

"Oh, Jirachi," I said, "Before you go... we have a reason for coming here. I would like to know if there is any hints we can have about Team Eclipse, or even the future of Roria."

Jirachi hummed a little bit, and then made an ancient paper form. It was small, but big enough for me to read what the contents were.

"What does it say?" Tess asked.

"Anything on Team Eclipse or Roria? Bzzt?" Rotom added.

"It says... **'When the bottle opens in a cave very far, fear the underworld beast with six arms'**. It's some kind of mystery." I explained.

Jirachi slowly nods, then floats back up, presumably for 1000 years. I don't blame it. All that trauma from seeing the Eclipse Duo just try to kidnap him.

We'll meet those two again someday. Maybe we'll see Jirachi as well.

"That... was a great experience." Sonic said.

"Maybe Jirachi could give us more hints if we come back here. Or maybe another Pokémon or person. We never know." I responded.

"So, uh... what now, guys?" Jake asked.

"Last trip to the Pokémon Center. Then we go to Anthian City." I suggested.

"Nice plan!" Tess agreed.

"Team Eclipse cannot hide forever!" Rotom added.

"Follow me. We have a lot ahead of us." I told the group.

* * *

 ***meanwhile, back at the Rosecove beach...***

-3rd person POV-

Luna and Ray were pacing. They were outraged that they lost to Nifty and his friends.

"There's something special about those twerps. We have to find out what." Luna ranted.

"This revenge is just getting started." Ray added. Suddenly, they heard a rapid beeping sound. Luna reached into her pocket, and...

She saw that a device was rapidly beeping. It was a rectangle with the Team Eclipse logo on it. This rectangle was a communication device.

"Oh Arceus! It's HQ!" Luna cried.

"Quick! Get into position!" Ray commanded. Luna set the device on the ground, answered the call, and stood next to ray. They stood in some military pose.

The device boots up a big hologram. Luckily for them, the beach wasn't packed. There was no one around, so no one sees the hologram.

A person was on the other side of this hologram. He had yellow skin, blue sunglasses, and a giant hat with money symbols on it. And he wore the Eclipse Admin clothing.

"Eclipse Duo pair, Luna and Ray. Would I assume your work is going well?" The guy asked.

"Y-Yes, Admin Tyler! Everything is going fine!" Luna exclaimed nervously.

"Did you get Jirachi? Like the boss ordered?" Tyler questioned.

"U-uh... no." Ray admitted.

"You WHAT?!" Tyler shouted.

"Look there was someone in the way! A group of four twerps got there before us!" Luna yelled.

"Blasphemy! No one even knows the ruins exist! How can you make up such lies?" Tyler ranted.

"They may not be creating lies, Tyler." A deeper, male voice said. The camera zooms out a bit, and someone else is revealed. A man with light skin, and brown, short hair. He wore glasses as well. However, the clothing he had was different.

It was a red shirt with a black, leather jacket, and some orange stripes. The black long pants had a red stripe as well.

This is the boss of Team Eclipse.

"Oh, boss Cypress! What a surprise to see you!" Ray laughed nervously.

"At ease, Ray. And Luna. I do expect much more from what you've experienced so far." Cypress told him.

"The Jirachi heist was a fail, sir. We will not do it again." Ray apologized.

"Who did you see that got in your way?" Cypress questioned.

"Huh?" Luna yelped, "Sir, why would you want to-"

"WHO got in your WAY?" Cypress interrupted her, anger in his tone rising.

"There were four people, sir!" Luna replied, "The two that we battled... one had a Team Valor shirt and lava hair, and the other had blue hair and... a-a KIND attitude!"

"They were very strong! Even with our strong Pokémon, we didn't stand a chance!" Ray cried.

"Hmm... so you _did_ encounter the heroes." Cypress said.

"I... do not understand, boss."

"Wait... boss, you don't think it's THEM, do you?" Tyler yelped.

"Yes," Cypress answered, "Eclipse Duo, those two you just encountered were Nifty Weaka and Sonic Harknah. Nifty is the son of Sally and Jared Weaka, the famous archaeologists of Roria. And-"

"The other is the son of the scientists. It all makes sense now!" Tyler finished.

"That is correct," Cypress chuckled, "Remember, I am counting on you two to find those two as much as you can. They have gullible skills to make us achieve our goals. When the time comes, we will eradicate them from this world... and find ones that are better off coming with us."

"We won't let you down, sir." Luna said.

"You better not." Cypress warned as he adjusts his glasses. Tyler turned the camera back, so now he is the only one looking at the Duo.

"You two better not mess this up. If you do, then you're up for some disappointment." Tyler threatened. Then he ended the call.

Luna picks the device up and puts it in her pocket.

"Come, Ray. Back to base. We got things to discuss." She offered.

"I'm right with ya, Luna." Ray replied. And the two headed back to the Eclipse base, where news awaits them.

* * *

 **A/N: So, two things: First of all, Luna and Ray are basically the Jessie and James of Team Eclipse. Just for much more comedy and adventure, and suspense.**

 **Secondly, I _was_ gonna make Sonic or Nifty catch Jirachi, but I decided to let him go instead. Maybe he'll play a part in future chapters. ;)**

 **But that's all for the Admin Story today, fellas! See you all next time! :D**


	21. News

**Good afternoon, everyone. Or whatever kind of time zone you guys are in right now. XD**

 **So I get a couple news that I would like to share with you all right now. Only ONE of them is bad, so I'm going to get those bad news out of the way first.**

 **I deleted Roblox from my phone. It is a clunky app that whenever it's slow, I cannot STAND it.**

 **I am going to reinstall it another day to continue playing Loomian Legacy. But for now, I'm going to hate on Roblox for how slow it really is.**

 **Okay, that's done. Now for some good news.**

 **So, I know you all are here for news on the next chapter. Is Pokémon Brick Bronze: An Admin Story on hiatus?**

 **To answer that: kinda.**

 **I'm** **working on the chapter, but I have a lot to handle, and ideas to brainstorm. Plus, we're almost at Anthian City, which may be the best part!**

 **I'll try to keep going on with this chapter as much as possible. On a small hiatus, but I am working on this story as hard as I can.**

 **And for the second good news, I officially announce...**

 **I am opening up my very own Discord server! :D**

 **Now, granted, it's just a small fan club for people who are a fan of my stories. There's not many people that are on, but I don't expect it to be.**

 **I am still new to how a Discord server really works when I'm leading it, so bear with me here.**

 **All the server is about is just hanging out. Just socializing on my stories, your stories, other news going on right now, and even just playing games together.**

 **If any of you would like to join my Discord server, make sure to PM me. I will try to see if I can get the server code on my profile page. But for now, please PM me if you want to join.**

 **That's all I really gotta say for today. Also, you better believe that I'm getting Sword and Shield for Christmas. I was oroginally getting Sword, but I changed my mind to get Shield instead. Don't ask why.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed these small news I had to share. Have a great day, everyone. See you next time. ;)**


	22. Journey Through The Mines

**I am back, here with another chapter of my favorite Pokémon story of all time! Sorry for the wait, but I hope this chapter is worth it.**

 **I hope you enjoy! :D**

 **-Nifty's POV-**

* * *

Man, this has been quite a ride that we have been through. So, we found out the real details of Fortulose Manor, and uncovered the mystery. That mystery was Rotom, and he tagged along our journey as Rotom-Dex.

Then we went to the Grove of Dreams, and found out the ruins were real all along! But we weren't the only ones who found out.

Even though we found Jirachi, we came across a duo from Team Eclipse. Luckily, Sonic and I defeated them. Jirachi now seems to be roaming somewhere, waiting for our return. Not at the ruins, but...

Maybe at another place.

Anyway, we stopped by Rosecove City one last time to heal up, and gain some energy. We healed our Pokémon, had a couple snacks, and now that we're all packed up, we are ready to continue our adventure!

* * *

We are back on Route 9. Most of the trainers here have been defeated by us. We all had a chance for battling. Boy, was it fun!

"Okay, so we've been at the Grove of Dreams, and Fortulose Manor. Those were some good times." Sonic reminded.

"Bzzt! Well, that meanzzz that there izzz only one more path we haven't been to yet!" Rotom told us.

"Where does that lead to?" Jake asked.

"Route 10! It's a step closer, bzzt, we'll be able to get to Anthian City this way!" Rotom replied.

"That's the only way, so might as well take that chance." Tess said with a shrug.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go there!" I cheered. Like always, I lead the group towards the next gate, which is the one we haven't seen yet.

This must be to Route 10. Anthian City, here we come!

We exit the gate, and are now at Route 10. There is a large gray path that most likely leads to the next area. I dunno.

On our left is a small garden.

"Ooh! Let's go check that garden out!" Jake suggested.

"Hm... dunno if I wanna." I said with a shrug.

"How about we split up for a bit? I wanna check out what's ahead as well." Sonic added.

"Okay. I'll come along with Jake to see what's in that garden." Tess responded. Jake just screamed out "Yay!" As soon as he heard that.

"Rotom, you're coming with us." I told the floating Dex.

"Whoppee!" Rotom cheered. So Jake and Tess walked to the left. Sonic, Rotom and I kept on going ahead.

We were just taking our time on the walking. There were some trees, lots of grass, and even some tall grass patches. Wonder what kind of Pokémon are there.

The gray path curved a bit. No symbolism, but it's just for where it could possibly lead us to. On the right, there was another small path. So we decided to check that out.

Walking on ahead, through the tall grass, a black belt dude notices us. Most notably towards me.

"I will focus my energy on winning this battle. I'm unstoppable when I focus on a task." He stated.

"So am I." I responded.

* * *

And so, my first battle on Route 10 begins. Against this Fighting type guy.

"Go, Meditite!" He shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Ooh, a Fighting and Psychic type. Heh heh, I do like where this is heading.

"Kay, Honedge. Let's go!" I yelled. I threw my Ultra Ball into the air, and the ghost sword came out.

"Ooh, how's this gonna turn out?" Sonic questioned.

"I am not sure, but I guezzz we are gonna find out what Nifty's planzzz are." Rotom responded.

"Use High Jump Kick!"

I smirked when I heard my opponent say that. Guess he doesn't know typings.

Meditite jumps up, and its leg glows a bright orange, and he lands right towards Honedge.

But the kick goes right through Honedge. Just as I expected. And Meditite felt the pain of missing High Jump Kick.

"Now, Honedge! Use Shadow Sneak!" I shouted. So Honedge goes into a sneaking mode, and then appears right behind Meditite, and attacks him.

Meditite already fainted. I smirked. My plan was correct all this time.

"Whoa! Nifty defeated Meditite so easily!" Sonic complimented.

"Oh, of course! It all makezzz sense now!" Rotom yelled, "When a Pokémon missezzz High Jump Kick, half of their damage getzzz taken away! And Meditite just so happens to be part Psychic type, so Nifty thought about that well!"

"That is correct, Rotom. This battle may become easier if this whole thing keeps up." I said.

The Figghting type guy sent out his next Pokémon shortly after my small conversation. And that next Pokémon turns out to be...

Another Meditite.

Great. This guy doesn't know variety, either. Just great.

"Okay, Honedge. Push Meditite back with Night Slash!" I demanded. Keeping its hilt close, Honedge slashes Meditite with its dark energy.

Of course, it's not super effective since Meditite is part Fighting type as well. I see Meditite's trainer trying to plan something. Is it gonna be something good?

"Calm Mind!"

Guess not. Meditite goes into a calm pose, and raises a couple of its stats: its special attack and special defense.

"Honedge, Shadow Sneak again." I said. And Honedge does what he did to the last Pokémon. Like before, Meditite is easily down.

"Bzzt! Amazing! Even though he opponent is put at a major disadvantage, Nifty is taking this battle very seriously!" Rotom exclaimed. And speaking of the opponent, his next Pokémon is out.

And it's ANOTHER Meditite. Oh my Arceus. Someone give this guy some variety please.

"Night Slash." I said bluntly. Honedge takes half of Meditite's damage away from that one attack, just like last time.

"Psych Up! Use it to know Honedge's stats!" The fighting guy shouted. And Meditite begins to take in Honedge's stat info.

What exactly is that going to accomplish?

"Shadow Sneak, one more time." I say in a determined tone. This Meditite met the same fate as the other two: fainted.

"I'm bored just from zzzeeing all of these Meditites azzz thizzz guyzzz's Pokémon." Rotom ranted.

"You and me both." I replied, nodding my head as a way to agree with the floating 'Dex. Heh heh, maybe he _isn't_ so bad after all.

Anyway, back to the person's last Pokémon.

"Come on out, Machoke!" He screamed. Well, at least it isn't another Meditite. I'm certainly ready to change up my strategy a bit.

"Let's get the first move in with Shadow Sneak!" I yelled. Honedge manages to land the sneak attack shortly after I made my command.

It didn't do much damage, but it was a start.

"Machoke, use Dual Chop!" The black belt exclaimed. Machoke sprinted up to Honedge, and chops him twice with the purplish energy.

It wasn't very effective, and Honedge wasn't affacted one bit.

"Quickly, he's distracted! Aerial Ace!" I shouted. Honedge lands an uppercut-styled Aerial Ace after the Dual Chop ended.

The super effective hit landed, and Machoke is down.

And then something else left me shocked. After Honedge shouts in pride, it began to glow. No way, he's evolving already!

"He's evolving!" Sonic cheered.

"No way!" Rotom added. I was in awe from seeing this. Honedge was going through this transformation like no other!

As soon as the evolution process was over, Now Honedge has a new appearance: two versions of himself, including he hilts, and the blue ghost-like hands turned pink. The eyes were pink as well.

Honedge evolved into Doublade.

"I broke my focus for only a moment, and was defeated." The black belt guy sighed.

"Uh-huh. Sure you did." I replied in a sarcastic tone. But I was just happy from seeing my newest partner evolve.

* * *

"Rotom? Any info?" Sonic asked.

"Oh, sure! Let me get it real quick!" Rotom replied. And then he quickly scanned Doublade. Soon, the info needed appeared on his screen.

 _"Doublade: the sword Pokémon, and the evolved form of Honedge. The complex attack patterns of its two swords are unstoppable, even for an opponent greatly accomplished at swordplay."_

My interest just went up higher after hearing that. Complex patterns from the two swords? Oh, count me in!

"Well, Doublade. Seems we're gonna have to plan mew strategies with those complexities you have now." I chuckled. And Doublade lets out a metal whirring sound as an agreement. I just smile and place my hands on my hips.

Dang right evolution is something to be happy about.

We kept on walking on after that small pathway after getting that item. There was nothing I could've felt that was gonna get in our way.

Suddenly, we heard a roar. Sonic and I looked to the left. And there was something above a small cliff. It was black with white fur, a black sword like thing on the top of his head, and a furry tail.

No way. That's an Absol! And... there was something on its neck. Like... a stone of some sort.

Sonic and I stared at the Absol in silence. Rotom wasn't sure how to respond, but I can tell he wanted to say something. Even if it was his current info.

The Absol jumped down to us. But none of us made a sound. I wasn't even sure how to react.

Absol slowly inched towards us, as if... he was trying to warn us about something.

"Nifty!"

I heard Jake and Tess shout my name. Absol turned around to see those two running to us. Tess gasped at what she just saw.

But then Absol jumped back up to the cliff and ran away, out of our sights.

Tess and Jake came closer to us after experiencing that.

"What Pokémon was that, Nifty? Sonic? And why did it run off?" Tess asked.

"I think I might know what it is." Jake replied, "My father used to tell me of a Pokémon that looked exactly like that one. It's called Absol."

"Absol? You mean Absol the Disaster Pokémon?" Tess repeated.

"Gotcha covered!" Rotom interrupted. Then he shows Absol on his screen. Welp, here's Rotom out to save the day again.

 _"Absol: the Disaster Pokémon. Every time Absol appears before someone, it is followed by a disaster such as an earthquake or a tidal wave. As a result, it came to be known as the disaster Pokémon."_

"Yeah... that's the one," Jake agreed, "Legends say that wherever Absol goes, a disaster will surely follow. It appears only to warn those who are in danger."

"Uhh, yeah, bzzt. That's what I said." Rotom exclaimed.

"Now, now. One person at a time." I chuckled.

"If one has appeared here, it can't be a good sign." Jake cried.

"Certainly not. That worries me a little." Tess winced.

"I don't know what is more strange: the appearance of an Absol, or the keen interest it took on Nifty and Sonic." Jake warned.

"That was very interesting indeed." Tess said.

"That makes all the sense. Why would an Absol be interested in US?" I exclaimed.

"I almost thought you three were being attacked." Tess said sadly.

"Good thing we weren't." Sonic responded with a nervous chuckle.

"Well, at least everyone's alright." Jake assured.

"Right, and we're all back together now, too." Tess added.

"So, where do we go next?" I wondered.

"Alright, so this is Route 10," Jake stated, "If we continue this path, we'll reach the entrance to the Cragonos Mines. You just follow the mine to the top of the mountain, where we'll catch a ride to Anthian City."

"Alright. Seems do-able." I replied.

"Caves are kinda scary, though. I'd much rather take the sky train up to the top." Tess complained. I smirk after she said that.

Seems like I figured out a little fear she has.

"Well, wouldn't you need a specific pazzz in order to take that train?" Rotom assumed. Well, that explains a lot.

"The lady in the gate we just came through told me that the sky train isn't working right now. Don't worry, I will lead you safely through the mines," Jake explained, "I hiked through here with my father once.

"It'll be a nice little walk!" Sonic cheered.

"Oh, I suppose that sounds alright." Tess groaned. Then she crosses her arms and glares at all of us.

"But if we run into any Zubats, or Woobats, or any other oo-bats, I don't know what I'll do."

I started laughing at her sentence.

"What are you laughing at?" Tess asked in a frustrated tone.

"Oo-bats? Oh my Arceus, that cracked me up!" I laughed.

"Ugh... ha ha. VERY funny." Tess said sarcastically as she crosses her arms and lowers her eyebrows, unamused.

"Alright, Nifty, Sonic, and Rotom. We're heading through the mine now," Jake reminded, "We'll rendezvous at the top where we all ride together to Anthian City."

"Let's all stick together so none of us get lost." Sonic suggested.

"It's better that way." I responded.

"Sure thing, Nifty and Sonic! Go for it!" Rotom cheered. And now that we got that out of the way, we decided to move on in our adventure to the mines. I had no idea how long it was gonna last, but I know I'm gonna remember it.

As we continue on the path, there were some separate areas that had some tall grass patches. If we ever would encounter new Pokémon, this would be worth looking into.

On another one of these separate areas, there was what looked like a campsite. There were two people: one boy and one girl. And all they had with them was their small green tent, and the fire, with some logs around it so they can sit by the fire.

"My wonderful husband likes to take me to this campsite once a year. It's such a lovely place." The woman says as she notices us.

"Is that so?" I asked the woman.

"I always have to remember to pack extra Repels to keep all the Pokémon off though. I left a Repel in our tent if you need one. I don't mind sharing." She replied.

"Oh! We'll take it just in case. Thank you!" Somic said respectfully. Then he walks over to the tent and grabs the Max Repel.

Now we have a little weapon in case too many Pokémon attack us.

We leave that small place, and venture forth. The mountains were close. And on the other side, I could see the a building that most likely had the Sky Train.

Forward we go, and a gentleman notices me, and walks to me.

"An old man like me needs to be careful how he walks in this wind. Thankfully, I have my Pokémon to assist me. They do more for me than just help me watch my step." He explained.

"Well, glad ya got some helpers." I complimented him.

"Here, let me show you." He insisted.

* * *

I step back just a bit to start the battle. Like I always, I wait to see who the man is gonna send out first.

"Go, Growlithe!"

Ooh, a Growlithe! Now that's dope. Welp, time to use some type advantages, cuz why not?

"Alright, Greninja, you're up!" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon. My first starter was already ready for this battle. Yeah, this oughta be easy for him.

"Ready? Go for it, use Water Shuriken!" I instantly yelled. And Greninja summons the water-made ninja stars, and throws them right at Growlithe.

I wait to see what the results of that is.

...

WHAT?! It already took him down?! Geez, that was fast! That Growlithe didn't even try! Well, can't blame hi, honestly.

"Wow, Nifty! Bzzt! Your Greninja is very strong!" Rotom complimented.

"Ohh, just you wait." I chuckled. Immediately after I said that, I begin to feel that bonding energy inside me.

"Alright, Greninja! Let's unleash our full power! Let's go!" I screamed. And then the whole Battle Bond transformation happens. Everyone around us was surprised.

"Yes! That bond is so cool!" Jake cheered.

"Really has developed well when it comes to Pokémon." Sonic said.

"WHAAAAA?! No way!" Rotom screeched, "No one obtained that Battle Bond ability since many centuries ago! Nifty is one lucky guy!"

"Aw, you're too kind." I said bashfully.

"Seeing you be so lucky really shows how much I was missing out on," The old man said, "It managed to make me in awe. But, now we can continue our battle!"

And he sends out his next Pokémon after that. And it's... another Growlithe. Ugh. You know, if I were to become a teacher, the first thing I would remind students is to remember variety so they don't end up like this.

I'm gonna go ahead and mess around a bit before I attack. So I motion my hand to allow the old man to attack first.

"Use Retaliate!"

Wow, what a good stop right there. Cuz since the first Growlithe fainted, the power of Retaliate is going to double. But I am aware of the speed Greninja has in his arsenal.

"Dodge it!" I demanded. And as Growlithe got close, Greninja stepped out of the way. Perfect.

"Take Down!" The gentleman yelled. Another Physical attack? Heh, I'll read ya like a book.

"Do a flip!" I said smugly as I spin around, putting on a little show. Like before, Greninja lures Growlithe to get closer, and then dodges the attack by doing a front flip.

I mean, the front flip was new unlike the last dodge.

"Flame Burst!"

"Use Water Shuriken to block it!" I exclaimed, noticing the yell immediately. Everything was moving so fast, as I was seeing through my own Pokemon's eyes.

Luckily, the Flame Burst dissolved when coming in contact with the Water Shuriken.

"And now use Scald!" I continued. And Growlithe was immediately met with another water attack. That's just the amount of expectation I can manage to predict.

"Okay, Nifty, listen up! Bzzt," Rotom reminded as he floats closer to me, "This gentleman has four Pokémon in total! You took down two, so you're halfway done!"

"Good to know." I say with smirk. Maybe having Rotom wih us isn't so bad after all. Plus, Sonic did mention we can get head starts on what we need to know.

Good thing I always trust my best friend. But I turn my eyes back to my opponent to see what he's gonna do next.

"Here's my last Growlithe! Hope you can enjoy this one while you can!"

I show an unamused look as he sends out his last Growlithe. Good Arceus...

"Alright, Greninja," I said to my starter, "As much as I'd love to keep going on, I'm thinking of sending out someone else to change the strategy around just a _tiny_ bit. You agree?"

"Gren." The ninja frog salutes as I gave the command.

"Okay. Return. I'll finish this for us." I chuckled, and then return Greninja back to his ball.. Once he was returned, I can see through my own eyes again.

Putting my Poke Ball aside, I pull out another one.

"Tyrunt! Get 'em!" I shouted, throwing the ball high up. The fossilized dino stomps on the ground and lets out a cute roar.

"Quickly, use Ancient Power!" As soon as the roar was over, I give the command. And the ancient rocks get formed, and were thrown at Growlithe.

"Dodge them all with Agility!" The man yelled. And Growlithe manages to dodge all of them with the speedy tactics. Heh heh, but I have a trick up my sleeve.

No way anyone's getting away that easily.

"Dragon Claw!" I exclaimed. And when Growlithe stopped in his tracks, Tyrunt ran up and slashed him with his claws.

Not down just yet, but because it's me battling, that's about to end real soon.

"And now finish him with Stomp!" I continued. Tyrunt jumps up, and I look down at the recovering Growlithe. When he got up, Tyrunt shot down to stomp right on him.

And there we go. That finished him.

"TYYYRUUUUNT!" The small dino roared loudly, appreciating the win. And then...

Yep, he suddenly was glowing blue! Yes! Evolution! And since it's daytime, it's just what I'd expect!

"Oh my Arceus! He's evolving!" Tess shouted.

"This is gonna be great!" Sonic and Jake cheered in unison. I look back at my evolving Pokémon.

Tyrunt soon grew bigger and wider, and also had more sharper scales, some fur on his neck, and just bigger legs and longer tail.

And then the glowing ended, and I notice his skin grew red, his belly is white,and the sharp part above his eyes were orange.

Tyrunt evolved into Tyrantrum.

"HELL YEAH!" I cheered.

"Whoaaaaaa! So big! Itzzz unbelievable!" Rotom screeched. And then he scans the newly evolved Tyrantrum, gathering all he data he needs.

 _"Tyrantrum: the Despot Pokémon, a Rock and Dragon type, and the evolved form of Tyrunt. Thanks to its gargantuan jaws, which could shred tick metal plates as if they were paper, it was invincible in the ancient world it once inhabited."_

"Whoa! Nifty has a former king Pokémon!" Jake cheered.

"That's certainly one way to put it." I said with a shrug.

"Evolution is always full of surprises." Sonic replied. Speaking of surprises, I have to test the new evolution out for this man's last Pokémon.

I swear to Arceus, if it's another Growlithe...

"Chimecho, go!"

Okay, thank Arceus it's not another Growlithe. And plus, I do have an advantage. But that gives me an idea.

"Hey, Rotom. Did Tyrantrum learn any new moves?" I asked the floating Dex.

"Juzzzt one. And that move izzz Rock Slide, bzzt!" Rotom replied. I thought for a moment as I show my trademark smirk.

Alright. I got my plan all ready figured out.

"Tyrantrum, Rock Slide!" I shouted. Tyrantrum lets out a bellowing roar, loud enough for anyone within a fifty mile radius to hear us.

Large rocks begin to slide down from the sky, and they were all aimed for Chimecho.

Chimecho yelped as it began to dodge them.

"Use Extrasensory to lift all the rocks!" The gentleman says with confidence. Chimecho lifts some of the rocks with its Psychic move. And it even threw them back!

"Block 'em, quickly!" I commanded. Tyrantrum turns around and slaps the opposing rocks with his large tail. And shot the rocks aside like no big deal.

"Now, Crunch! Finish it!" I continued. Tyrantrum runs up, opens its enormous jaws up, and then bites Chimecho roughly.

And he took that Chimecho down in one hit. Awesome!

"That strength is incredible!" Tess complimented.

"Tyrantrum izzz very good when it comes to its physical attacks!" Rotom reminded.

"That explains how it can easily push back rocks." Sonic agreed.

I turn my head to the man, who was surprised at his battle against me.

"Don't worry, my Pokémon are much better at helping me keep my balance. I wouldn't be standing here if they weren't." He assured, waving his hands side to side after he returns his fainted Pokémon.

"Good to hear." I chuckled.

* * *

Tyrantrum kneels down so he can make eye contact with me. I look at him with a smile.

"They said you're invincible back then," I said, "As we keep battling together since we first met, we can try to make that invincibility last here, too. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Trum!" The fossil lightly roared, agreeing with my statement. I chuckled.

"Thought so." I return Tyrantrum back after I say that.

"Guys, look! The mountains are this way!" Sonic yelled as he points to the entrance.

"Let's go! The sooner we make it, the sooner we're at Anthian City!" Jake insisted. We decided not to waste any more time, so we run to the mountains.

As we're going forward, we also see a big windmill to the left, and a small house.

Well, we do have some time to look around. We decide to head into the small house to see what is inside.

As it was small inside, too, there is only one person there.

"Hello." I greeted, getting the man's attention.

"Hi, I'm the caretaker of the windmills in this area," He said, "I've noticed an eerie presense coming from the windmill riht out behind my house from time to time. I don't know what it is. I just know it's not natural."

"Understandable. Hope ya find out that presense soon." I responded. And then we all leave the house.

"Have a good day!" Sonic called out.

Now we're back outside. We decided to check out that building to our right. Headin up the ramp, and going more towards the right, there were a few tables. A girl was sitting by one of them, looking out into the distance.

We walk to the girl to hear what she wants to say about this place.

"I love the wind here," She says, "So do the local Pokémon. Some of the Pokémon use the wind to float around and can even travel great distances using it."

"Yeah, there are those light Pokémon." I said.

"Hoppip is a great example!" Rotom reminded.

"That's true!" Sonic agreed. Looking around the place some more, a guy is there, and we decide to talk to him.

"The wind comes sweeping down the mountainside and rotates the blades on the windmills. The windmills supply power to the Sky Train and Rosecove City." He stated.

"Ahh, that's the whole ordeal behind it!" Tess said. We all nodded in that understanding. After all, she did live there, so it seemed necessary.

Then we walk towards one of the edges. From there, it was another one of those adventurers. We decide to talk to him to see what he has to say.

"Hello there." Sonic said to the adventurer.

"Hey," He said, "As an adventurer, I'm inclined to take the scenic route. Here, I'm rather stumped by my options. If I ride the sky train, I get a great view of Roria from up high. But the sky train is thhe fast and easy way to Cragonos summit..."

"I mean, it is particularly safe." Tess told him.

"I couldn't call myself an adventurer if I always took the easy way through life." He sighed.

"You're not wrong." I said.

"I think I'll take the cave to the top of the mountain." The adventurer responded.

"We're taking that way, too!" Sonic said happily.

"Let's go inside the cave now. We may be able to remember this place if we do explore every nook and cranny of a giant cave." I assured. And then I began to walk to the cave, with the others following me, except the one adventurer.

* * *

 ***scene: Cragonos Mines***

We enter the cave. And the first thing we were greeted with is a long and narrow path, a lot of rocks, and hard walls. Holy crap, though, this is a pretty long path.

"Ahh, so this must be the Cragonos Mountains." Sonic pointed out.

"The area we're in is only part of the whole mountains," Jake stated, "There is much more to it in other areas that lead to other parts of this summit. But it may be a while till we get there."

"Well, let's just try to get past this part and get to Anthian City," I said, "Also, we must make sure to stick together. We wouldn't want to waste time trying to find each other if we get separated."

"Agreed." Tess added. I decide to lead us all like I always do. In this narrow path, there is one hiker ahead of us. He turned to us altogether.

"Be careful not to get lost in these old mines," He warned, "These tunnels stretch all through the Cragonos mountain range."

"Got it." I replied. And so, the others and I continued to walk forward, ready to adventure in the mysterious Cragonos mines.

Something caught my eye. I turned to the right after we walked a bit further, and there seemed to be another path. I head inside, but there was nothing around it. Just walls and a deep black abyss.

"D**n, a dead end..." I mumbled. Didn't let that stop me, however. That hiker did warn us to be careful in these mines. Gotta make sure I keep to that.

Moving forward some more, heading up ramps, and checking my head back every now and then to make sure that the others are close by.

"So, Rotom," I said as I clear my throat, "You know about Roria because of your time in that manor, correct? What should we know about this specific part of the Cragonos mountains? Or, the mines, if I should call it that?"

"Well, like Jake mentioned, the part we are in izzz the minezzz," Rotom explained, "If we keep going up, then we'll reach the peak of the mountain, and be able to get to Anthian City that way!"

"Good to know." I responded, smirking. And then we continue walking. Up more and more ramps, and then we come across a small bridge. But to our right was another separate pathway.

Heading inside the separate path, we see another area. In there was a man with a white suit, and in front of him was a small, but impossible-to-pass boulder.

"There's a rock blocking my path to Route 11. What am I going to do now?" He sighed.

"Has he tried breaking it?" Tess asked.

"I mean, he needs to be really skilled, and possibly not-human to break it." I chuckled.

"I scanned that rock juzzzt now, and I know how, bzzt," Rotom stated, "There izzz a specific move needed in order to break the rock in half with eazzze! The move we need izzz Rock Smash!"

"Neato." I said. Unfortunately, none of my Pokémon have Rock Smash. And the others have the same issue as me.

Anyways, we leave the small area, and cross the bridge up ahead. It was made entirely of stone, and there are no handles or ropes or anything to prevent us from falling. Meaning if we fell, we're either dead, or seriously injured.

And then another small cave we are in again, but this time I saw some torches, so at least there was some light for wherever we're going.

I look around the cave, and without a doubt, there are some Pokémon roaming around. I saw some Roggenrolas walking in a straight path, and a couple Woobats in the air. At least none of them were attacking us any minute.

I mean, as long as we aren't invading their property.

Just rocks and more rocks, some big ones covering some parts of he area we're on. There doesn't seem like there's anything to the left of where we're at, so we decided to head right.

As we continue crossing, a blue-shirt guy finds us. Oh boy, another battle.

"Rumor has it that these mines were dug out in order to search for mysterious stones," He explained, "As a collector, I'm here to see if any were left behind so that I may add to my precious collections. I'm not having any luck with finding any."

"Mysterious stones may or may not be possible in here." I said with a shrug.

"Maybe I'll get lucky and win this fight." The collector responded.

"I highly doubt _that_." I sighed.

* * *

Because of the last trainer I fought, I doubt I'm gonna see any changes in variety. I guarantee it. But let's see what this collector is going to use.

"Go get em, Roggenrola!"

Alright, alright. So we're starting pretty simple here.

"Okay! I'll choose you again, Greninja!" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon. I already knew my little plan that I had in mind.

But I inisted that this collector makes the first move.

"Rock Slide, Roggenrola!"

So, that's the move? Nice starts. Greninja and I look at the incoming rocks from above.

"Dodge them all, then use Water Shuriken!" I commanded. With the super fasts speed as usual, Greninja manages to dodge all the rocks coming down.

Then he uses his own attack.

The first Shuriken Roggenrola gets hit by, and he manages to survive it. Because of Sturdy. But the second star took him down.

"Whoa! Amazing!" Sonic complimented.

"Of course!" Rotom suddenly shouted, "Roggenrola has Sturdy as its ability, and it survived at first! But because Water Shuriken can be used multiple times, it means nothing! And now that Nifty took down one Pokémon..."

Heh. Right on cue, Rotom.

Insert the Battle Bond transformation again, and I see through my Pokémon's eyes. Whoo! This is gonna be a long one! I think.

"Okay, let's go my second Roggenrola!"

I face palmed after I heard the collector say that. Arceus dang it, I _knew_ I wasn't gonna see much variety.

"Ey, Greninja. Go ahead. Use Water Shuriken again." I said bluntly. And Greninja does the same attack as before. And it took that Roggenrola down, too.

"Uh... o-okay, well, I still have a third one!"

This time, I just shake my head. When will this guy ever learn? Plus, the thing we all know at this point.

"Why don't YOU make the first move again for this turn?" I told the guy.

"Alright! Roggenrola, use Smack Down!" He shouted immediately. I would go for another Water Shuriken, but I'm gonna surprise him.

"Use Quick Attack to block it!" I yelled. When the falling rock was close, Greninja countered it with his usual Quick Attack.

The fock was sent flying back to Roggenrola.

"And now finish it with Scald!" I continued. Roggenrola was still recovering from the rock that he didn't notice the next water attack.

That easily took him down.

"Well, I'm out of Roggenrolas," The collector sighed, "But I still have some rock Pokémon to still stand by! Get him, Geodude!"

Well, at least it isn't a fourth Roggenrola. I could switch up my strategy now.

"Kay, Greninja. Return." I said. And I return my starter back to his ball. And this time I pull out... the Ultra Ball. Yep. He's gonna get what's coming to him.

"Doublade, rise and shine!" I throw the Ultra Ball up, and out comes Doublade.

"Now, quickly! Use Night Slash!" I yelled. Doublade sneaks around, confusing Geodude the best it can. Being a Ghost type does have its perks.

Then it attacks Geodude from behind with the Night Slash. But Geodude isn't down yet. But I could see the look on that stone collector's face that he was panicking.

"Self-Destruct!" He screamed.

And Geodude exploded into its most powerful attack. But, I smirk. Doublade wasn't even affected. He gave a metal shrill sound after the attack ends, as a way of saying "Really?"

Geodude fainted. Great.

The stone collector returns Geodude and holds another Poke Ball.

"Graveler! Go!"

I thought about it a moment, and decided to keep Doublade out. He'll need that experience.

"Night Slash again!" I demanded. And Doublade attacks Graveler quickly. But like with Geodude, he didn't get knocked out in one hit.

"Graveler, use Bulldoze!" My opponent shouted. Graveler stomps on the ground, and then the ground shakes violently.

Doublade cried out as he took the hit. I almost stumbled, too. It was super effective on _both of us._

"Nifty, Nifty! Look! Doublade's moveset! One of itzzz moves changed!" Rotom screeched. I look at Rotom to see the moveset on his screen. And he's correct, there _is_ a change.

Autotomize was replaced with... Iron Head. That's gona help me out!

"Graveler, Smack Down!"

I turned back around after I heard my opponent yell.

"Doublade, use one of your hilts to block it!" I shouted. Doublade was a bit hesitant, but he did it. The rock just fell down normally, not hurting at all.

"And now attack with Iron Head!" I continued. Doublade turns itself into an all-steel form, and charges right at Graveler.

Bam!

The Steel-type move took down Graveler when it landed.

"Awesome job, Nifty!" Sonic complimented. I showed him a thumbs up, thanking him for the compliment. And hen I turn back to that collector, who sighed after he returned his fainted Graveler.

"I'll get some luck one of these days..." He mumbled.

"At least it can happen with the stones one day." I told him. I hope my statement wasn't too contradictory.

* * *

After returning Doublade back, I turn to see the rest of the group there. No one got lost, nor separated. Jake and Tess were next to each other as always, Rotom was floating around, and Sonic showed me a smile, silling holding onto the egg.

"You're gonna be battling next, my friend. You need your chance." I said.

"Yay!" Sonic cheered. I headed through the small tunnel, and everyone made sure to follow me. Up ahead of the tunnel, there was nothing. But I headed over to the right where another small area was at. And...

I found a Moon Stone.

Well, I already have Nidoking, so I have no use for this. I may give it to someone later on, or sell it for a price, so I kept it in my bag.

"It'd better pretty cool if this Bronze Brick can, like, glow in the dark." I complimented.

"That would be very cool!" Sonic responded. But we left the small area afterwards. At least I managed to find something out of it.

So now we head the other way.

There is a small ramp there, which had walls covering almost all of it. But it was wide enough for all of us to walk on it.

As soon as we got up, a rookie man walks up to us, ready for a battle.

"Oh, good. I haven't seen anyone else in quite a while. I got lost looking for trainers to battle." He admitted.

"Aw. That stinks." Sonic said, sympathizing with the guy.

"Well, since you're here, let's have a fight." The rookie demanded.

"Sure!" Sonic responded.

* * *

"You got this, dude!" I cheered as I stepped on the sidelines, "Oh, by the way, you can let me hold the egg. Would be better if it got to watch you as well."

"Yep! Here you go!" Sonic walked over and passed the egg to me. I took the egg in my hands, keeping it close. We don't need injuries on the little thing!

"Now, to start with battling after so long... I will start with you, Roggenrola!" Sonic's opponent yelled, sending out his first Pokémon.

Seriously? _This guy_ is ALSO starting with a Roggenrola? Dang.

"I hope this man doesn't have three Roggenrolas like the guy I fought..." I sighed in annoyance.

"Very doubtful, Nifty. Thizzz man hazzz four Pokémon, bzzt, so itzzz extremely unlikely." Rotom said.

"Yeah. I hope." I replied. But I look back at Sonic, and I can tell he's ready for this battle.

"Okay, Chesnaught! Go!" Sonic shouted. His starter popped out of the Poke Ball as it was thrown in the air.

The bulky Pokémon roars as it lands on the ground.

"Attack Roggenrola with Seed Bomb!" Sonic commanded. Chesnaught roars again, and unleashes it's powerful grass bomb attack.

Roggenrola moved its stubby feet to try and move out of the way of the incoming attacks, but it didn't work. The bombs hit him.

But the Roggenrola still had Sturdy, so it survived.

"Use Rock Slide, Roggenrola!"

And this man probably even has the same moveset as the last guy and his three freaking Roggenrolas.

"Chesnaught, protect yourself with Spiky Shield!" Sonic yelled. Chesnauht turns around his his nack got more spikier.

Every rock that hit Chesnaught, the Spiky Shield blocked it, to prevent him from getting hurt.

"And now, go for Pin Missile!" Sonic continued. Chesnaught unleashes the spiny missiles from his shoulders, shooting them out at Roggenrola.

That defeated him.

"Okay, you got my Roggenrola," The rookie admitted, "But not to worry! Let's see how you handle against... Geodude!"

After returning his fainted Pokémon, he sends out his next one. At least it ain't the same ones over and over.

Crap, I might've jynxed myself.

"Chesnaught, come back for now. Let's have the others get a chance, too!" Sonic said. Chesnaught nods as he was being returned. He completely understood.

"Your turn, Pumpkaboo!" Sonic yelled, and sent out his next Pokémon. The small pumpkin ghost danced around as it came out.

"Hit em with Razor Leaf!" Sonic exclaimed. Pumpkaboo screeches as the sharp leaves form, and then she throws them right at Geodude.

Geodude felt the leaves cut through him. Even though with the 4x weakness, Geodude still had Sturdy, so it survived.

"Hanging in there with Sturdy! Now, Geodude, use Rock Blast!" Rookie guy yelled. And Geodude shot out a huge rock.

"Dodge it!" Sonic shouted. Pumpkaboo ducks, and she avoids the rock just in time.

"Awesome job, Pumpkaboo!" Sonic complimented, "And now let's end it! Use Shadow Sneak!"

Pumpkaboo sneaks behind Geodude, and viciously attacks it. Since Geodude was very low on health, he was already down.

"Okay, you got my first Geodude, but let's see how you'll get... the second one!"

Okay, I was right about the no variety part. But it's better than three Roggenrolas.

"Pumpkaboo, use Leech Seed!" Sonic exclaimed. And Pumpkaboo forms small seeds, and eventually, vines wrapped around Geodude, trapping it there, and slowly getting rid of his energy.

"Oh no! Hang in there, Geodude! We can do it!" The rookie cried, "We can't give up there! Stop him with Self Destruct!"

Geodude does the powerful explosion attack. But I just smirk, since I already know what's gonna happen from it.

Like with Doublade, Pumpkaboo was not affected by the explosion at all. And because Self Destruct happened, Geodude immediately fainted.

"What izzz with all thezzze Geodudes and with their trainerzzz obsessed, bzzt, with Self Destruct?" Rotom sighed, speaking in an unamused tone.

"Your guess is as good as mine." I replied.

"I think it may be a now or never situation because Geodude was seeded." Tess reminded.

"Yeah. Betcha he did it out of panic." I said.

"I see you're good at battling. I'm facing an expert opponent. Here's my last Pokémon..."

And Sonic's opposing trainer sent out his last Pokémon, which is a Woobat. Well, at least it ain't a Rock type.

"Okay, Pumpkaboo. Return for now. Next battle you can come again." Sonic said. Pumpkaboo floated over to Sonic and rubbed herself on his face again.

Sonic nervously chuckled and gently pushes Pumpkaboo off.

"I know, I know. Once we get to Anthian City, we'll have all the freedom to walk around." Sonic assured.

"Pumpka!" The small ghost pumpkin Pokémon chirped as it got in a happy mood again. Sonic smiled after seeing Pumpkaboo's happy face, and then he returns her.

"Okay, Lycanroc! It's your turn!" Sonic yelled, sending out his next Pokémon. Now Sonic is using his Rock type, to gain a good advantage.

"Lycanroc, use Rock Slide!" Sonic exclaimed. Lycanroc howls loudly, that it echos across almost the entirety of this cave.

The rocks are falling down, but... Woobat managed to avoid them. Well, this guy's actually a bit prepared.

"Woobat, Air Cutter!"

Woobat screeches as it flaps its wings quickly, shooting a sharp wind that is... sharp enough to cut.

Lycanroc tanked the hit as he closes his eyes. Not very effective. Just about as much as I can expect from Lycanroc.

"Don't get discouraged, Lycanroc! Get ready to focus your energy!" Sonic reminded. Lycanroc growls as he nods his head slightly. He stands there and thinks what Woobat's next move is gonna be.

"Wonder what Sonic's plan is." Jake said.

"Don't worry about the looks. What matters is how it's gonna be carried out." I told him. When it comes to Sonic, I know he has an idea in mind.

"Calm Mind. You focus, too."

So this rookie is focusing too? Except he's using an actual move. Now I'm more curious...

"Aha! Use Accelerock, now!" Sonic shouted. And as Woobat woke up from its temporary thoughts, he suddenly got him by Lycanroc's harsh tackle.

That knocked him out without any second doubts.

"I may have lost, but I remembered my way back out." The rookie said.

"That's good!" Sonic responded, while showing a huge smile.

* * *

I hand the egg back to Sonic after Lycanroc was return back to his ball.

"At least that guy didn't have _all_ Rock types." Tess said.

"True." I responded.

"But letzzz give thizzz man some room, bzzt. He may want to exit after he found his way out." Rotom stated. I just kept moving on. Everyone else is now following me again.

Further forward, I managed to find a Revive on the ground. Wonderful! I grab the Revive and hold onto it, just in case.

Other than that, it's another freaking dead end. Darn. We all head back from whence we came. Back to the area where we found that lone minecart.

And from there, we find a passage where we haven't gone to yet.

In front of us, we could see what looked like a stable ramp set, with so many wooden bars to keep it up. And down below, we could see the bottom floor, with a small lake.

"Oh my Arceus! This sight tho!" I yelled. Everyone looked out at the distance. They were in awe, just like I am.

It's just entrancing to see something so amazing like his, all to know Roria's historical areas, like this one. Seeing all this construction work to keep things stable as we see it today.

"Incredible," Rotom complimented, "So thizzz must be more construction for how all of uzzz get to the top of the mountainzzz! Without it, where would we be?"

"It's... it's so... beautiful..." Sonic said quietly.

"One of the most beautiful things I ever seen!" Jake yelped.

"I will remember this for a long time, as long as I do remember it." Tess added.

"We may get a closer look if we keep moving forward. Only one way to find out!" I offered. I decided to test if my theory is true.

Crossing the path and avoiding the cliff below, a hiker finds us. Great, another battle...

"This whole area was dug out quite a long time ago by miners. They left the mine tracks here to make it possible to scale the mountain from the inside." He explained.

"That's amazing!" Sonic complimented, very happy at the small history lesson. I won't lie, I'm also interested in all that. It's good to know about the history of Roria, including these mountains.

"It makes it less of a challenge to scale the mountain, unless you consider the trainers like me that are here to challenge traveling trainers like yourself." The hiker said rapidly fast.

"Giratina Christ, try saying that second part of the sentence five freaking times fast." I said abruptly.

* * *

Aight, so, once again, Sonic is taking the opportunity to battle. Need to let him have those two chances like I have against the last two trainers.

But the hiker seemed ready as well.

"Onix! Go!" He yelled, sending out his first Pokémon. Ooh, got a little tougher Rock Pokémon, I see. I think about how Sonic is gonna do for this match.

Knowing him, I know he's gonna do great. It's obvious.

"Primarina, you're up first!" Sonic shouted. And he sends out his Water starter (though it's technically a starter, he didn't get it at the lab. You get my point.)

"Okay, ready, Primarina! Start off with Bubble Beam!" Sonic cheered. Primarina starts with her simple attack of bubbles.

Onix is still a rock type, though, so it's speed was meh. It roars in pain as the bubbles land. A four times weakness. But unlike those Geodudes, the Onix didn't have Sturdy, so it got knocked out in one hit.

Nice.

"Okay, you have good type advantages. But let's see how this'll keep up!"

The hiker sends out another Onix after he finishes his sentence. The whole same Pokémon thing ticks me off, but at least it being Onix is certainly better than Geodude and Roggenrola.

"Okay, Primarina, don't give up! We can do this!" Sonic said with a determined tone.

"Pri!" The sea lion Pokémon let out a noise of approval, not ready to back down one bit.

"Onix, slam down on Primarina!"

Onix raises its huge tail up, ready to slam it on Primarina.

"Trip him up with Sparkling Aria!" Sonic shouted. Primarina's hair lets loose, and then he powerful water attack spreads all out, forcing Onix to pull back his attack.

"Great job!" Sonic chuckled, "That worked out great! Now, use Icy Wind!"

Primarina blows the icy cloud from her mouth, and it gets blown onto Onix. The Onix cries out again as it falls to the floor. But it wasn't enough just yet.

"No, don't give in! Use Screech!"

That hiker only began to get more worried. But that's understandable, considering how Pokémon battles can be.

Onix screeches, and the noise echos in the cave, and Primarina felt it like all of us in this area.

"Aqua Jet, quickly!" Sonic exclaimed. Luckily, Primarina forms water around herself, and charges towards Onix. It landed, so he was down already.

I was smiling, and Jake, Tess and Rotom were cheering. The egg also seemed happy, as I saw a little shake happen. But Sonic's opponent was speechless.

"You must be historic in battle or something," He said quietly, "But I'm not going to let it get to me! Here, I have one more... and that's Geodude!"

And, like he said, his last Pokémon was, indeed, a Geodude.

"I'll call you back now, Primarina. Gotta give the others a chance, too." Sonic said. Primarina slips over to Sonic, and wraps her tail around him. Sonic slightly blushed from the contact.

"I know. But don't worry, cuz you did really good out there." Sonic says a compliment in hopes to make her feel better. Primarina just shows a small smile as a way of appreciating it.

And after that, Sonic pulls out the Poke Ball, and returns Primarina back in it.

The Dusk Ball was Sonic's next thing he pulled out. Yep. It's Pumpkaboo's turn again.

"As I promised, Pumpkaboo! You can come back out and battle now!" Somic giggled as he throws the Dusk Ball up. And Pumpkaboo pops out immediately.

"Slow it down with Bulldoze!"

"Prepare yourself, Pumpkaboo!" Sonic warned. Pumpkaboo growls lightly as the ground began to shake. It got more violent slowly.

When it really gotten bad, Pumpkaboo just floats up. Not affected by it at all.

"Quick, before it attacks again! Use Razor Leaf!" Sonic demanded. And as soon as Geodude ended his attack, it wss met with the sharp grass attack.

This Geodude didn't have Sturdy, however. It fainted after Razor Leaf hit. Wow, that was a fast and easy battle.

"It seems my Pokémon weren't enough of a challenge for you." The hiker admitted.

"Just a little more would be okay." Sonic said with a nervous chuckle.

* * *

Like before, Pumpkaboo shows her affection to Sonic by rubbing his face again. I give the egg back to Sonic, and he holds onto it.

Pumpkaboo looks at the egg curiously.

"Once the egg hatches, Pumpkaboo, someone else is gonna join the team." Sonic told the ghost pumpkin Pokémon.

"Ka!" It chirped. Sonic giggled again and returns Pumpkaboo. She didn't want to come, but it would be a bother if they kept arguing about it.

"Moving on!" I said, getting the adventuring mood again. It goes without a doubt that we head over that bridge.

After that, we are in a small tunnel, and there is a wooden bridge this time. Well, at least for this wooden bridge, it had handles and ropes to prevent falling off to be nothing but a fad.

The bridge creaks as we all walk on it. But that's all. We got past he rickety bridge without it breaking, and for the safety of any of us accidently falling off.

Then there's more ramps. We climb up it. My feet aren't numb yet, so I'm glad for that.

Up and up, just going on. We're _way_ high up. I could look down below and see how small everything is.

"Ooh, guyzzz! I see light up ahead!" Rotom cheered.

"Let's go!" Sonic insisted. We all walked a little faster, but not too fast.

And after a few more seconds, we exit the mines, and into the light.

* * *

 ***scene: Cragonos Cliffs***

We all head outside here. This must be another part of the mountains, considering how high up we are. Well, thank Arceus it's not too cold. I would've brought my coat just in case.

"Out of the mines for now! We're here at the Cragonos Cliffs!" Rotom said.

"Cliffs?" Sonic asked.

"This is considered a halfway point. Because, look!" Jake pointed to the left after he spoke. There was a Pokémon Center.

"Oh, nice!" Sonic said happily, "We can heal our Pokémon after all those battles, and gain some extra Potions!"

"Makezzz sense, because you'll have to go back in the mines again on the other side." Rotom warned.

"Let's take this opportunity while we can." I responded.

 ***8 minutes later, in the Pokémon Center...***

We stopped at the Center, which only took about 8 minutes for all four of us to heal. Even with the bare damage, nonetheless, we'd still heal just in case.

We also purchased some Potions, Revives, and even some Repels when we go back to the mines. No wonder these mountains are so big. Cuz of all the subareas like on the cliffs here.

Now hat we exit the Pokémon Center, we move forward on the cliffs. Luckily, it was wide enough. None of us have the risk of falling off.

Well, unless something causes the cliffs to break. But that's not gonna happen. These cliffs are tight.

Into the tall grass, but just a small patch. I was about to pull out a Repel so no wild Pokémon attack us.

"BAGON!"

And a small Pokémon jumps onto Sonic, and... bites him on his head. Jake, Tess, Rotom and I stood back. The small Pokémon is a Bagon.

Sonic stood there, confused. How? _How_ is he _not_ affected by this? Either Sonic has a strong head, or Bagon has weak teeth.

Cuz Bagon does have teeth.

"Uh... h-hi?" Sonic meekly asked the Bagon. Bagon jumps down and starts rambling, like it's... trying to ask him something.

"Didn't that bite hurt you?" Jake asked.

"It kinda tickled, but it dod nothing, really." Sonic confessed.

"That's... odd," Tess said, raising her eyebrow in confusion, "I don't think I've heard of anything like it. A bite from a Bagon should show some marks at least. I guess this one must be... new?"

"It's rambling to me now, so... I assume it wants to battle me?" Sonic suggested. The Bagon got into a fighting pose.

"Thatzzz exactly what itzzz saying!" Rotom replied.

"Alright! If a battle is what the Bagon wants, there's no point in running away." I scoffed.

"Okay, Bagon! I will accept your challenge!" Sonic said, showing a determined smile, "And I got just the Pokémon to help battle!"

And the Pokémon Sonic sent out is... Togepi. Ooh, this may be though.

But I'm not against him. This is Sonic's choice, and I'm gonna let him be. Sonic places the egg on the ground next to him, making sure it's close to his sight.

"Okay, Togepi! Are you ready?" Sonic questioned. And Togepi giggles and dances around. At least she's ready.

"Yay! Togepi, use Metronome!" Sonic shouted. Togepi raises her hand up, her pointer finger high, and waves it around.

The move chosen is Swift. The stars get shot at Bagon, and he took only a couple of the stars. It wasn't really enough.

Bagon shook the attack's pain off, and then charges towards Togepi.

"Itzzz using Headbutt! Watch out, Sonic!" Rotom cried.

"Oh no! Dodge it, Togepi!" Sonic yelled. And then...

When Bagon got close, it... tripped and fell, only seeing it's a small inch between itself and Togepi. Wow, what a clumsy move.

"What." I said bluntly.

"Uh... okay. Togepi, Sweet Kiss." Sonic responded, still staying focused on the battle. Togepi waddles over, and lands the Sweet Kiss move.

And Bagon's eyes became stars as he stumbles around.

"Something tells me this fight is... off." I pointed out.

"I agree," Tess replied, "I have Shelgon with me, and when he was still a Bagon, he went pretty rough on me. Those bites he landed scraped my arm a couple times, but he got more friendly towards me as time went by. Not... like this during a battle, all clumsy."

"Maybe the Bagon is clumsy?" Jake theorized.

"Could be." I responded.

"Metronome again, Togepi!" Sonic exclaimed. And she begins to get ready to unleash a randomized move.

This time, the move is Thunder Shock. The small zap managed to get Bagon out of its confused status, and he chages forward again.

This time, instead of Headbutt, the move Bagon landed was Bite. Togepi yelped and stepped back, feeling the pain in her stubby little hand.

"Togepi! Are you okay?" Sonic called out. Togepi started panting. The Bagon was also confused. I guess that's understandable considering its clumsiness?

But... this is a wild Pokémon we're talking about...

And then Togepi gets itself into an open position as the classic blue evolution process made its way onto her. Like any other time, all of us were surprised, yet happy.

"*gasp* No way!" I yelped, "It's happening! More evolution! And with enough friendship, it worked!"

"The friendship is real!" Jake cheered. Tess, Rotom and Sonic kept their surprised looks.

The process went on, and Togepi lost her egg format. She grew a neck, a smaller body, and her arms and legs were more longer.

Then the blue goes away, and Togepi's skin is all white, along with having small wings on her back.

Togepi evolved into Togetic.

"Let me scan real quick!" Rotom offered. He once again does the scanning process, now showing Togetic on his screen.

 _"Togetic: the happiness Pokémon. A Fairy and Flying type, and the evolved form of Togepi. They say that it will appear before kindhearted, caring people, and shower them with happiness."_

"Aww! Amazing entry!" Jake complimented.

"She really grew onto Somic really well, hasn't she?" Tess added. And no one is certainly wrong about the happiness part.

Togetic floated around Sonic, just laughing and cheering as a way to show her happiness. Sonic also chuckled to appreciate it.

"Ooh!" Rotom just realized as he spoke, "Sonic, the Bagon there still wants to battle! It's not over yet! And plus, bzzt, Togetic has a new move learnt!"

Showing Togetic's moves, it shows she only had three: Metronome, Sweet Kiss, and Fairy Wind.

The Bagon attacked again, releasing Dragon Breath.

However, Togetic closes its eyes and hold its hand out, letting the attack just dissolve into nothing. Yep, because Dragon moves does not affect Fairy types.

Bagon was flabbergasted, and it shown the most surprised look ever.

"Togetic, Fairy Wind!" Sonic cheered. Togetic hums as she flaps her small wings together, creating a small, mystical wind.

Bagon got blown away from the other side of the grass.

"Did we do it?" Sonic asked.

"I think so." I replied. I looked over to see where Bagon went.

It... just sat down, turned away from all of us, and just looks down. It seemed sad. I thought Bagon would've ran away by now.

Sonic and Togetic felt bad, so they approached the Bagon carefully.

"Are you sad because... you lost?" Sonic questioned. Bagon huffed and stepped closer away from Sonic. Then it got back to its sad position.

"Tic..." Togetic floated to Bagon and reassured it by petting its arm. Sonic got into a thinking position, and then he had an idea.

"Hey, Bagon." He called out. Bagon turned around to look at one of my friends.

"I can tell you would like to get stronger one day. Would you like to be a part of my team? I can train you to get stronger." Sonic offered. Bagon's eyes were filled with hope. He then stood up and cheered, and then bites Sonic's head again.

Like before, it didn't hurt him.

"Are you... _sure_ that that doesn't hurt you?" I asked Sonic while crossing my arms.

"Nope." Sonic replied. Bagon got down, and waited patiently. And all of us knew what was gonna happen next.

"Ultra Ball! Welcome to the team, Bagon!" Sonic cheered, as he threw the Ball down at Bagon. Bagon just let it hit him, and he got sucked into it.

The ball lands on the ground and starts shaking.

One...

Two...

Three...

Click!

Bagon is caught.

"Yippee! Bagon is now on the team!" Sonic yelled in excitement. And Togetic cheered as well.

"Herezzz some information about Bagon while you were still battling, guyzzz." Rotom said. And hen he shows Bagon on his screen.

 _"Bagon: the Rock Head Pokémon, a pure Dragon type. Bagon harbors a never-ending dream of one day soaring high among the clouds. As if trying to dispel its frustration over its inability to fly, this Pokémon slams its hard head against huge rocks and shatters them into pebbles."_

"I bet Bagon will be able to fly one day." Sonic assured.

"We'll find out as the days keep going by." I told him.

"Anyway, we should go on." Jake insisted. All of us nod. And then we moved on, still proceeding to the cliffs.

As we kept walking, a bird keeper finds us.

"These cliffs are scary to walk close to for more people. My bird Pokémon make me feel safe near them, though." He explained.

"Always great to have some helpers." I said.

"Here, have a look at them." He insisted.

"Eh, I don't really want to. Life makes me a busy guy." I teased.

* * *

The roast did absolutely nothing to change things around. Still had to battle him, but I couldn't blame anyone. Not even myself, or my opponent.

"First I will show off my Spearows!" He yelled. I noticed the plural pronunciation for Spearow. He must have two or more then.

Well, at least it's a break from Rock types.

"Rhyhorn! You ready?" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon. Since this guy is just going to be all flying types, I'm just gonna take advantage of him like that and use a Rock type.

"Speed around with Agility!" He yelled. And then Spearow began flying around in a tricky pattern.

"Don't get distracted by his tricks, Rhyhorn! Use Stomp!" I commanded. And Rhyhorn prepares to try and stomp straight on Spearow.

But because Spearow was still tricking with Agility, it missed. But I smirked. The attack wasn't meant to hit. I thought about that the whole time.

"Now take him down with a Smack Down!" I continued. Rhyhorn quickly waited to see Spearow stop, and then unleashes the rock from above.

And Spearow was taken down right after that. The bird keeper was surprised, but he felt it was gonna happen eventually.

"Ready for round two?" He asked. And, like I did think about before, he sends out another Spearow. Awesome.

"Alright, Rhyhorn, just take it easy on him. Stomp." I sighed. And Rhyhorn stomps again. But Spearow squaks loudly as he flies away.

"Assurance!" The Spearow's trainer shouted. Spearow sharpened its talons, and then slaps them on Rhyhorn, letting him take the hit.

"Ahh, so that's how it's gonna be," I chuckled, "Fine. Ya wanna play. I'd be happy to join in! Rhyhorn, Smack Down again!"

And Rhyhorn shoots his only Rock type move. And that easily defeated Spearow with no surprise.

"Anyone else you-" I started, but then hearing that familiar sparkling sound that just happened at least a couple minutes ago, and see that Rhyhorn is getting his evolution in as well.

"Two Evolutions in one sitting?! Thizzz is rare!" Rotom shouted. Everyone, including myself, was staring at Rhyhorn with awe. I had a big grin on my face to add onto it, however.

Rhyhorn grew bigger, and is not standing on two legs. The horn on his head became a big drill-like horn, his arms and legs grew claw-like features, and his tail became longer. The blue ended, and he is the same color as before.

Rhyhorn evolved into Rhydon.

"Amazing! A Rhydon!" I cheered.

"I gotta take thizzz in!" Rotom said abruptly. And because it's his thing, he gotten all of the data in less than a second.

 _"Rhydon: the Drill Pokémon. A Ground and Rock type, and the evolved form of Rhyhorn. Rhydon's horn can crush even uncut diamonds. One sweeping blow of its tail can topple a building. This Pokémon's hide is extremely tough. Even direct cannon hits don't leave a scratch."_

"Holy freaking crap, that is bulky as HELL!" I exclaimed. Then I shake my head and turn back at my opponent.

"I-I still have one more Pokémon, whenever you're ready." He said meekly.

"Is it not a Spearow?" I teased. And then the bird guy just said "nope!" like no big deal. He throws his last Poke Ball up, and...

his last Pokémon is a Pidgeotto.

"Here, Nifty. Take a gander at this." Rotom said. I look on the screen, and... I get shocked when I see what new move Rhyhorn learnt.

"Shut up!" I shouted in surprise.

"Pidgeotto, use Agility!"

Hearing the guy say that brought me back to the battle, leaving Rotom to just spectate now.

"Rhydon, use Hammer Arm!" I demanded. Rhydon roars as he raises his right arm up, filling it up with a powerful, bulky energy.

He slammed it down near Pidgeotto, trying to hit him. Pidgeotto, of course, avoided it, but he was so startled that he backed up a lot.

"And now go for Smack Down!" I laughed. And this time, Smack Down was an even bigger rock that crushed Pidgeotto down.

Wow. Rhydon sure packs a punch now that he evolved from Rhyhorn.

"I fear losing battles more than heights." The bird keeper admitted.

"Can your bird Pokémon help you there? I hope so." I snickered. And Rhydon shouts as he feels his new bulky strength.

I return him back now that the battle's done.

* * *

We keep moving forward. Hmm, I wonder how long these cliffs are? We may not be too far from the next part of the mines.

A camper walks towards Somic. I guess he's taken interest in him?

"The entrance back to the mines is just around this corner," He reminded, "Would you mind a quick battle before you head back in?"

"Sure! I wanted to do a battle anyway!" Sonic replied, showing a kind smile. I also appreciate why he said that.

* * *

We all stand back, wanting to give Sonic some room. Cuz I know why he was in the mood for a battle.

"Bagon and Togetic, come on out!" Sonic shouted. Togetic and Bagon came out of their respective balls.

"Okay, guys. I would like you two to watch me do this battle. So the next one we do, we may be able to do together!" Sonic explained. Bagon shouts an overreactive cheer, and Togetic just giggles, but she nodded to agree to Sonic's request.

"Here we go! Wish me luck, everyone!" Sonic said.

"You got this, bro!" I responded.

"Here we GO!" Both Sonic and the camper yelled in unison, both throwing their Poke Balls. Sonic sent out Chesnaught, and the camper sent out a Furret.

"Seed Bomb!" Sonic commanded. And Chesnaught uses his powerful Grass type attack. I took at Sonic's two small Pokémon. Bagon was in complete awe, and Togetic was just interested altogether.

Furret groaned as the bombs it, but it's not enough damage for that Pokémon to be taken down.

"Furret, Slam with your tail!"

Furret jumps up, tail up high, and jumps down to Chesnaught.

"Catch it!" Sonic yelped. Chesnaught roughly grabs Furret by its tail, catching the Normal type by surprise.

"And throw it to the wall!" Sonic continued. Chesnaught does that, and Furret lands limply on the ground, fainting after it hit the wall.

"Oh wow. Uh... you're next, Gogoat!"

Sonic's opponent returns the fainted Furret, and sends out a Gogoat.

"Keep going, Chesnaught! We're still determined to stand without damage!" Sonic chuckled. Chesnaught growls and clenches his fists.

"Take Down!"

The large goat Pokémon charges towards Chesnaught as soon as the command was spoken.

"Turn around and use Spiky Shield!" Sonic yelled. The spikes on Chesnaught's back grew more sharper, and he allows Gogoat to charge right into it. Gogoat felt the main as it stumbled backwards.

"Finish him with Pin Missile!" Sonic finished. And Gogoat couldn't escape the upcoming sharp missiles. And since it's a Bug type move, it further proves that setback.

"Okay... er, you're up, Aipom!"

That camper seemed more flustered to be getting defeated so easily. I mean, not truly _defeated_ yet. Cuz the battle is still going on.

"Chesnaught, return." Sonic said, recalling Chesnaught back. Understandable. He wants to give his other mons a chance for battling, to give his newly caught and newly evolved member some ideas for stronger battling.

"I choose you, Primarina!" Sonic exclaimed, sending out his next Pokémon. For Togetic, this may work out well, considering that both of them are Fairy types. (But of course, I know Primarina is Water _and_ Fairy. Still counts.)

"Start with Bubble Beam!" Sonic commanded. Primarina lowers her eyebrows and smiles wider, using its simple Water attack.

"Agility!"

Ahh, just like with the birds, Aipom knows Agility as well. And he uses it to dodge those attacks.

"Great!" The camper cheered, "Now, use Swift!"

Aimpom sways its tail to one side, and stars get shot out.

"Dodge the attack, then use Sparkling Aria!" Sonic yelled. Primarina dodges the attack with a little twirl, putting on a show the best she can. What a nice twirl!

And then Primarina gets aggresive with her signature move. It landed, but Aipom isn't down just yet.

"SCREECH!"

Is the next move that camper decided to let Aipom use next.

"Primarina, Aqua Jet! Dodge it and attack with that!" Sonic shouted. Primarina sings a high gospel note, and Aqua Jet forms. She passes right through the screech with no problem at all, and then smashes the physical water move on her target.

That finally made Aipom faint.

"Ooh, one more... but I won't give up! Go, Flaaffy!"

"Quick, Primarina, come back!" Sonic yelped. And this time, Primarina didn't even hesitate about being returned unlike most other times.

I'm actually surprised by that.

"And now, for my last Pokémon to be in this battle... get him, Lycanroc!" Sonic shouted. Yep, all of Sonic's three powerhouses. Heh, I bet they would be great mentors for both Togetic _and_ Bagon.

"Lycanroc, Accelerock!" Sonic exclaimed. Flaaffy yelped as Lycanroc threateningly got close with that move, but it could only feel itself getting knocked backwards from the harsh collison of that.

"Take Down, now!"

The camper seemed desperate to at least get past one. But Sonic ain't allowing that. None of us would feel the same, either.

"Counter it!" Sonic chuckled. Before Flaaffy could land its powerful move, Lycanroc smirks as it raises its paw up. Hence, the energy from the Counter got put into Flaaffy, and it felt that pain.

The move was double that, so Flaaffy is down now.

Bagon cheered, and Togetic giggled while joining in on Bagon's cheering. I smirk and cross my arms, proud to see my friend win again. Jake and Tess were also happy, and Rotom... is just being Rotom. But he did feel happy as well.

"Awesome! That was exactly what I needed. Not every loss is a failure." The camper said.

"You aren't wrong." Sonic giggled. I did take that in mind. Mostly I remembered the time in Brimber City, with Kevin, when he made fun of Sonic to make him feel bad about himself.

I hate that stupid idiot so much...

* * *

"Okay, everyone, return." Sonic said. And both Bagon, Togetic and Lycanroc got returned back to their specific Poke Balls.

"The minezzz are just up ahead." Rotom reminded.

"Ready to go on?" Jake asked.

"We should stop by the Pokémon Center again first. Just in case." I suggested.

"Good idea." Tess replied.

"Especially for the pain all of us felt." Sonic added with a nervous laugh. We head back to the Pokémon Center nearby.

We took another 4 minutes there, and then kept moving on, to see the other entrance to the mines.

We go inside it. I wonder what awaits us there...

* * *

 ***scene: Cragonos Mines***

Alrighty. Back in the mines again, after those battles at the cliffs. At least we took that second stop at the Pokémon Center, which we were convenient was there. And the event with Bagon was a nice one, especially since now he's with us to get stronger.

Now that we had extra Potions and Repels, I can guarantee we're gonna be okay as we travel through the rest of these mines. I spray one Repel around me just in case. Because we all stick together, no Pokémon will get near us if only _one_ of us had the Repel's effect.

To the left was a waterfall, so there was no way we could ever travel there. But to our right, there's another stone ramp that we can head up. I guess this is the way to go.

As as we get up to the top there, a black belt guy finds up and comes running towards us, itching for a battle against us.

"I train my rock-hard fists by punching through the rocks in this cave. Occasionally, I'll punch a Geodude, and, let me tell you, that hurts."

I'm sorry, but why the absolute HELL would you punch a Geodude? Unless it's by accident, I won't take any excuses.

"Let me take this one. He doesn't seem that hard." Tess assured.

"Go for it." I said.

* * *

"You can do it, Tess!" Jake screeched.

"Arceus, Jake. Calm the heck down." I whisper-screamed. I look back at the fighter, who tohtly held his Poke Ball in his so-called "rock-hard fists".

"To show you what my hard fists have been through... let me show you how this Geodude will gander towards you!" He yelled. He throws the Poke Ball, and... yep, a Geodude comes out.

The punching logic still makes no sense...

"Gabite, I choose you!" Tess shouted, sending out her first Pokémon. And out comes the land shark Pokémon. Since Gabite has that advantage, this battle should be easy for Tess.

"Attack Geodude with Sand Tomb!" She exclaimed. And Gabite attacks with the sandy tornado that is aimed right for Geodude.

Geodude gets caught in it, and was struggling to even move.

"That movement feels like it could affect my fists even harder," The Geodude-puncher said, "But they can still fight after a couple minutes of healing! Geodude, Stealth Rock!"

With the little energy Geodude has to still move, he summoned pointy rocks, and scattered them across one part of the field.

"I'd suggest trying to attack more if I were you." Tess teased.

"Uh... Rock Blast?"

I almost laughed to hear him say a command in a very questionable tone like that. Like I said before, girls are smug. No matter who it may be.

"Ha, nice try! Gabite, block the rocks with Dragon Claw!" Tess chuckled. And Gabite easily pushes the rock back at Geodude, finally taking him down. I mean, the Sand Tomb was one thing.

"You... easily blocked that. Speechless! But try it again on _this_ Geodude!"

And he sends out another Geodude. I'm not even surprised anymore...

"Ya know, Nifty? I get what you're saying with this whole vairety thing, ya know?" Tess said as she turns her head to me.

"Understandable." I replied. Tess gets focused on the battle after that.

"Want a Physical attack? You got one! Gabite, Dragon Claw!" She shouted. The sharp energized claws slashes Geodude roughly.

But it just is not enough. Then I heard the black belt say:

"Self Destruct!"

And a wide radius of an explosion affects us. Mostly Gabite though. Luckily, the rest of us weren't too injured.

"Gabite! Are you okay?!" Tess called out as the after math of the explosion begins to clear up. I see Gabite struggling to stand up. Not fainted, but weakened.

"That was wild just looking at it," The karate guy said, "But I have to stay focused! Meditite, go!"

And he sends out his next Pokémon.

"Okay, Gabite. Take a good rest. You'll need it. I'll give you a potion when the battle is over." Tess assured, and then she calls Gabite back to her ball.

"Now... you're next Frillish!" Tess yelled, sending out HER next Pokémon. With how Frillish battled the last time since Kevin tried to ruin his life, I sense some determination in that Pokémon.

"Hit em with Brine!" That was Tess's immediate command as soon as Frillish came out. Frillish extends his veil like arms out front, and a bunch of water spurts from below.

Meditite takes some of them, but then it dodges the rest. It's a natural instinct, I see.

"Attack with High Jump Kick!"

I bet this guy probably doesn't have any other damaging moves. High Jump Kick isn't even gonna work...

Frillish had a mischievous smile as it just stands there.

"Just wait for it..." Tess mumbled. Meditite tried to attack Frillish with the kick, but only went right through him, taking a lot of damage as a result.

"Nice! Now use Ominous Wind!" Tess cheered. And Frillish blows Meditite away with the spooky wind attack. And it knocked him down.

Well, either that, or the High Jump Kick did. Or both. Probably both...

"Try it again with this one!" The man demanded as he sends out... another Meditite. Good Arceus...

"*sigh* Fine. I'll change up the strategy. Frillish, rest for now." Tess said, slightly annoyed. She takes a deep breath, and then pulls out another Poke Ball.

"Axew! Finish this!" She yells. And the small Dragon type is out, half determined to start this battle.

"Start off easy, Axew. False Swipe." Tess said. As Axew gets close...

"Block it, and use High Jump Kick!" I heard Tess's opponent yell. And the two Pokémon collide with each other.

But unfortunately, Meditite gets the upper hand, and it pushes Axew back a lot.

"You can do it, Axew! Don't give up!" Tess encouraged. Axew gets up and shakes its head, getting rid of the slight pain from the last attack.

"Nice! Now, intimidate him with Scary Face!" Tess commanded. Axew's eyes glow a bright red as it shows a very intimidating face.

Meditite shuddered as it backed up.

"And now, Dragon Claw!" Tess continued. As Meditite was still distracted, it got hit by the sudden slash.

"Ooh, Tess! Look on my screen, bzzt!" Rotom cried, "When the next turn from Meditite happens, try using this move!"

Tess looked at Rotom's screen to notice the new move. Then she turns back to the battle.

"Sure thing, Rotom." She responded.

"Think mentally, Meditite. Predict with Mind Reader!"

Mentally? Wow. This guy is about a predicting perfectionist as a brick wall. Cuz punching a rock thinking it's a Geodude. Seriously...

"Can't read just yet when attacking happens! Axew, X-Scissor!" Tess shouted.

Axew's small claws glow a bright green, similar to Chesnaught's Pin Missile attack. Medidite was too late to try and counter that.

And now he fainted. Just just the amount of expectations I can expect from this man.

"The pain of losing a battle is worse than the sting from punching a Geodude..." He said in a dramatic way as he fell on his knees.

"I'm sure both hurt just as equally." Tess groaned. And Axew yells as an agreement. Tess was about to return him, but then he glows blue.

"Evolution?!" Sonic and Jake yelped in unison.

"So many are happening, but I don't care, cuz it's still good!" I responded loudly. Tess was just in complete awe. Bet she hasn't seen much evolution since Gabite and Shelgon.

Axew grew much larger and wider, it also gained itself to be more spikier, and the tusk in its mouth also grew longer. The blue went away, and its skin was more of a dark grey, with some green on top of it, and maybe some red spots. Its eyes kept its red pupils, but is black as the other color.

Axew evolved into Fraxure.

"Whoa! How amazzzing!" Rotom chirped. And he immediately scanned Fraxure to gain some data.

 _"Fraxure: the Axe Jaw Pokémon. A Dragon type, and the evolved form of Axew. A broken tusk will not grow back, so it diligently sharpens its tusks on river rocks after the end of a battle."_

"So, that explains what she's doing right now." Tess pointed out. And all of us look to see Fraxure was scraping its big tusk on one of the sharp rocks in the cave.

Took her a few seconds before she turns back to us, smiling.

"So happy that you evolved, Fraxure. I'm extremely proud." Tess said with a smile.

"Frax!" The medium-sized dino chirped in happiness.

* * *

Anyways, after Tess returned her newly evolved Pokémon, we kept moving forward.

There's another stony bridge, and we cross it with ease. But on the other side was a small platform, that only one or two of us can stand on it without any crowding issues.

And on that platform, a determined adventurer notices me. Me specifically. So I'm going to be the one battling this guy, apparently.

"I look for action at every turn. Life is meant to be spent exploring and learning about the world we live in. I'm here with my Pokémon learning about what we're made of." He explained.

"You can test that learning out on me, if that's alright with you." I responded.

* * *

I don't know if I regret saying that to this guy. But I hope he's better with variety.

"My adventure was worthwhile so far! So I'm going to start with Flareon!" He yelled, sending out his first Pokémon.

Oh my Arceus! That got me inspired very quickly! Now _this_ is a nice start! I watched Candela's Flareon battle times before when I saw her on TV. The Flareon she has is her ace, so it's no doubt I'd get excited from this!

"Alrighty then! Tyrantrum, go!" I shouted, sending out my first Pokémon. Tyrantrum lets out a might roar as he stomps on the ground.

And there was enough room for all of us to operate.

"Flareon, use Fire Fang!" The adventurer exclaimed. Flareon runs up, and then jumps way up high to land its fiery bite.

"Push him back!" I commanded. Tyrantrum turns around, and slaps Flareon back with his tail.

"Alright, former king Pokémon! Heh heh, trap Flareon with Rock Slide!" I chuckled. Hopefully, my compliment as "former king" didn't affect him very much on the inside.

Fortunately, he didn't seem bothered by it. He attacks using Rock Slide with ease. Flareon whines as it tried to run away. But the rocks only stumbled its movement.

"Focus your strength, Tyrantrum. Get ready." I reminded to the giant fossil Pokémon. Tyrantrum closes his eyes, and then I do.

During my though process, I heard Flareon yelp from the pain of one of the rocks from Rock Slide. I smirked. This is my chance.

"And now use Crunch!" I shouted. Tyrantrum ran up, and opens its humongous jaws, and lands it down right on Flareon. Easily took him down.

I put my hand on my heart, relieved and surprised to know the thought process actually worked.

 _"Arceus... thank you, Candela, for inspiring me about the strength between a trainer and their Pokémon."_ I thought.

"You're good! But I still have some more during my adventure! Go, Vaporeon!"

The determined adventurer send out his next Pokémon. Just like Jake, he has a Vaporeon. But it also reminds me of someone else, but more on that later.

"Tyrantrum, return." I said. Water type moves would only do so much. Even as just a regular effect. But I decided to play it safe.

"Doublade, you're next!" I shouted, sending out my next Pokémon.

"Immediately attack with a good ol' Shadow Sneak!" I demanded. Doublade make a metallic shing noise as it slowly wiggles down to prepare a Shadow Sneak.

As much as how that Vaporeon was a big prepared, it couldn't prepare itself for the landing of that Shadow Sneak.

"Don't let it get to you! Aurora Beam!"

Doublade stays as the ice-disguised rainbow beam makes its way to him. Doublade took the attack, but dropped both of his hilts. He picked them back up shortly afterwards.

"Oh!" My opponent cried after that worked, "He's distracted! Now we can setup! Aqua Ring!"

A ring of water surrounds Vaporeon, beginning the process of slowly healing him.

"Prevent it, Doublade! Night Slash!" I yelled. As soon as Vaporeon was done, the darkened slash attack hit him.

Vaporeon fell down, and he tried to get back up. I could see it trying. But unfortunately for Vaporeon, he fell right back down and fainted.

"Great job, Doublade! But get some rest for now. I bet he has more variety." I said to the haunted sword Pokémon. Doublade makes a metallic noise again as it nods, agreeing with my statement.

I return Doublade the same time the my opponent does to his Vaporeon.

"I like challenging you so far, with how strong you seem to be! Next up, Glaceon!" He cheered, sending out his next Pokémon.

"In that case, you're next for battling, Charizard!" I shouted to send out my second starter. As Charizard flies around, he roars and lets out a fire breath, then he comes back to me and lands.

"Majestic flying..." Rotom whispered. Dunno where that statement came from, but yes, I agree on that.

"Charizard, use Flame Burst!" I yelled.

"Block is using Barrier, Glaceon!"

Uh oh! That's never a good thing. Glaceon forms the glass wall in front of it, and the Flame Burst collides with it. But nothing happened. The fire isn't nearly as hot enouh to burn through it.

"Okay, Charizard, we'll have to find a way through that protecting attack! Fly around as a distraction!" I exclaimed. And Charizard did just that. Glaceon watches Charizard fly around, waiting to land another move.

"And now! Go for an Air Slash!" I shouted. Charizard flies up a bit higher, and then unleashes a sharp and gusty wind from his wings.

"Ice Shard!" The adventurer yelled. Glaceon ignores the Air Slash with the Ice Shards. But little does Glaceon even know that it wasn't meant to hit.

"Flame Burst, one more time!" I continued. And then the flaming attack hits this time. It took down Glaceon in one hit. Dang, I am impressed.

My team is really coming along!

"Oh darn, I have one more. And that's my Jolteon!"

And my opponent sends out his last Pokémon. Which, indeed, is a Jolteon. This is probably the best minor trainer I fought. The best, of course, would definitely have to be Sonic, Jake, Tess, and he Gym Leaders I battled so far.

"Okay, Charizard. Come back. Wouldn't want any major electric problems happening." I insisted. Charizard roars one last time as I return him.

And now I grip onto my Great Ball. And I smirk. Time to end this.

"Rhydon! Showtime!" I yelled. And my newly evolved Rhydon comes out. It also growls, eith the echos from being in the cave ringing like no tomorrow.

"Jolteon, Agility! Let's go!"

And after the opponent shouts that, Jolteon teases Rhydon and I with Agility.

"Trip him up with Hammer Arm!" I commanded. Rhydon raises its arm, and roughly slams his fist on the ground. That made Jolteon trip from the knockback.

"Awesome! And now go for Bulldoze!" I continued while chuckling. Rhydon makes the ground shake with a mighty roar. Jolteon was tripping even more from the shakiness of it.

And it fainted afterwards.

"Bad experiences shouldn't stop you from going out and experiencing wonderous things first-hand." The adventurer reminded.

"I will make that battle an experience worthwhile." I replied. Yeah, battling with Vaporeon (along with Jake's the last time), and Jolteon definitely made me pumped. Just because I'm that classic Team Valor fan doesn't mean I ignore Team Mystic and Team Instinct! Blanche and Spark have a Vaporeon and Jolteon as their aces, respectively.

You can say I know my stuff when it comes to Eeveelutions.

* * *

Now that that battle is over, I return Rhydon back, and we continued to move on.

Across the second rickety wooden bridge, up more stony ramps, and we were eventually on part of the platforms of the small historic construction.

As I cross the platform, allowing the others to follow, there's a ladder leading up to the higher parts of the site.

"S**t..." I mumbled. This is gonna be rough, considering there's five of us. Well, I mean, four if you don't count Rotom. Rotom is fine since he can float.

All of us get up the ladder one by one. I go first, then Sonic, then Tess, and Jake opted to go last, so he did.

Then on the left were some train tracks. This is just gonna be touh trying to stand on them. But all of us did, and we carefully walked along it.

"Ah!" I heard a loud cry. All of us turn around and we saw...

OH MY ARCEUS! Jake fell, but is hanging on one of the wooden parts of the track!

"Jake!" Sonic, Tess and Rotom screamed in unison. I slowly, but also kinda quickly ran over to try and help him.

"Guys, h-help!" Jake cried. But then the wood broke off, and Jake was falling down. Everyone stood in horror from the shock. In a quick instinct, I grab one of my Poke Balls,

"Charizard, quick! Save Jake!" I yelled. Charizard got sent out, and he flew down to get Jake.

I got on all fours to look down and see hos the progress went. I sighed in relief when I saw Charizard flying back up, with Jake on his back. Jake had his right hand on his heart, still shocked from the fall, and the save.

"O... Oh my Arceus... crap, that was... scary..." Jake muttered. I extend my arm and offer to help Jake get back down. Jake takes my hand and I helped him land back on the tracks without falling back down again.

"Thanks, Charizard." I said to my second starter. Charizard smiles and growls as a way of saying "you're welcome". Then I return him again.

"Jake... you alright there?" I asked. Jake frantically nodded.

"Yes! T-Thank you very much, Nifty!" Jake thanked. That caught me by surprise.

"Why are you thanking me? I didn't jump down to save you!" I exclaimed.

"I know, but you sent out Charizard to help me, and he belongs to you! So you technically helped me, too!" Jake responded. I just sigh, but I smile to know that he's safe.

"I-It's no problem." I stuttered a bit. Darn, I don't usually do that. It's rare. I'm just glad to know that Jake is still alive.

We all carefully move forward on the train tracks, and none of us managed to fall this time, thank Arceus. Another small tunnel, it's where part of the tracks end at, and...

There's a hole in the ground?

I pass by the whole and check behind the end of the tracks. There was a TM. And it contained Rock Polish. I put that in my bag just in case.

But other than that, it's another dead end. So we all head back. But crossing the train tracks wasn't much of a problem, now that we had that luck of saving Jake from falling to death.

Now we're in another small area, and the tracks turned to the left. The right was blocked off by wooden bars.

We all turn left, and we see light up ahead! That must be the way out!

But then a journalist notices us, and challenges us to a battle.

"I'm here collecting the facts on a story," He said, "I'm learning about what attracts the Pokémon in this cave to the mines. I think a battle with the Pokémon I've caught here will help me learn more about them."

"I can help you! I'll battle!" Jake offered.

"You wanna battle?" I asked him, placing my hands on my hips.

"Yep! You guys are great battlers, and I wanna get more great, too!" Jake replied.

"Okay, Jake. You got this, bro." I said with a nod. All of us step back to give Jake some room.

* * *

If my theory is correct, this is the last trainer here before we can leave the mines and go higher up the mountain. But first, I'm gonna cheer on Jake to defeat this journalist.

"Onix! I choose you!" He yelled, sending out his first Pokémon. Considering that he said "Pokémon I've caught", I expect a lot of Rock types.

"Go, Vaporeon!" Jake shouted, sending out his first Pokémon. Yep. Having a 4x advantage like that is gonna work out real well for Jake.

"Onix, Dragon Breath!"

Wow, for an Onix, that's one good move to have. But Vaporeon wasn't quick enough to dodge it, so he took some damage. Luckily, Vaporeon isn't paralyzed from the effect of Dragon Breath.

"Liquify yourself with Acid Armor!" Jake yelled. And Vaporeon raises its physical defense by using the liquid-y move, and maybe ease the pain from the last attack. Then Vaporeon shakes off the remains, and then growls while showing a smile.

Yep, he's ready.

"Slam your tail down, Onix!" The journalist demanded.

"Splash it away with Muddy Water!" Jake exclaimed. Vaporeon summons some mud-colored water and forms it into a wave, and then unleashes it at Onix.

Onix just slammed his tail on the water instead, and got washed away by the Muddy Water.

And he fainted, just as anyway of us would know.

"Impressive! I'm shocked! Next up is you, Geodude!"

And that journalist sends out a Geodude. Would I assume he's gonna have another one of those, or another one of a rock type?

"Vaporeon, return!" Jake said loudly, and he immediately returns his starter.

"Bzzt, but Vaporeon hazzz an advantage against Rock typezzz!" Rotom cried.

"I know. But Nidorino has Double Kick. And speaking of which..." Jake responded. And he sends out Nidorino. That would be something that Sonic and I would do.

Good thinking, Jake!

"Since Double Kick is the one, I'm thinking, go for it!" Jake chuckled, keeping his big smile on. Nidorino attacks Geodude with its hind legs, easily taking it down.

Sturdy won't be that much of a problem, considering it's a multi-hitting move.

"Heh heh... this is cool!" Jake cheered.

"Glad you're having fun, Jake!" Tess complimented.

"I-I'm having s-so much fun!" Jake shouted excitedly as his face turns a bright red.

"Really, Tess? That all you can come up with for a compliment?" I teased as I smirk at her.

"Oh, shut up." Tess scoffed, rolling her eyes. Hey, what can I say? It's canon.

Jake x Tess, and we'll have their ship name something simple, like Jess, or SimpleDracoShipping.

Or something else. But I don't care. It's a canon ship and no one can deny it.

"Second Geodude is a backup Geodude! Can never be too prepared?"

I wanted to rant to that after that journalist said that as some kind of helpful advice. No way having two of the same Pokémon can work out.

"Double Kick, one more time!" Jake yelled. And like before, Nidorino attacks the Geodude with Double Kick. However, this Geodude managed to survive! Barely!

"Self Destruct!"

Again, with that move. I saw this coming...

Geodude fainted from the explosion, and Nidorino took a lot of damage!

"Oh no! Stay strong, Nidorino!" Jake cried.

"Now I only have two more. I was panicked I will admit," Jake's opponent said, "But no more of the Geodudes! Now... I choose you, Boldore!"

And this guy's next Pokémon comes out. Well, so we got Roggenrola's evolution, I see. Better than nothing, I suppose.

"Come back, Nidorino!" Jake shouted, calling his Pokémon back to his ball, "And now... come back out, Vaporeon!"

Jake sending out his starter again. But not to worry! Because he has that advantage! And Vaporeon doesn't have to worry about any pain from the last Pokémon he battled. Ot went away at this point.

Only problem is the Defense rise from Acid Armor went away. But nothing a little payback can't fix, right? I hope Jake got this...

"Muddy Water, again!" Jake commanded. Just like with Onix, Vaporeon uses that strong Water attack.

"Iron Defense!"

And when the journalist said that, Boldore got into a stiff position, and raised its defense as a way to protect itself. The water hit, and Boldore still got knocked backwards, but he survived. The smart journalist smiled upon knowing it worked,

"Mud Slap, go!" He shouted. Boldore shoots a small puddle of mud right at Vaporeon, and it got on the water Eeveelution's face. Darn, accuracy is lowered, so it will be hard.

"Come on, Vaporeon! Don't let the Mud Slap get to you too much!" Jake cried, "Quick, try and attack with Muddy Water again!"

Vaporeon just does that. Boldore was prepared to avoid it, especially considering how much Vaporeon was struggling to see after the Mud Slap.

But Boldore is a very slow Pokémon, so he still got hit. That got him. He's done.

"Okay, okay. I admit that might've been bad. But I still got one more! And that's... Drilbur!"

Ooh, finally, a change for once! And this time, it's a pure Ground type!

"Vaporeon, Aqua Ring!" Jake exclaimed. Vaporeon veils the ring around itself to slowly gain some health.

"Drilbur, Hone Claws!" The journalist shouted. Drilbur raises its attack and accuracy by sharpening its claws. This may be harder.

"Vaporeon, Muddy Water once again!" Jake yelled. Again, the water attack hits. But Drilbur dodges it, since he is way faster.

"Run up to Vaporeon and use Slash!"

Drilbur raises one of its claws, getting more sharp, and runs towards Vaporeon.

"Not yet! Quickly, Aurora Beam!" Jake screamed. Luckily, Vaporeon steadied his aim to land the Aurora Beam. Drilbur couldn't avoid because he was running to do an attack.

One hit KO, too! Amazing!

All of us cheered. And I could tell Jake felt very happy. But the journalist just sighed as he recalls his fainted Pokémon back.

"Let me just finish taking my notes..." He mumbled, and then frantically gets out his notebook and writes some stuff down. About the battle, I assume?

* * *

"Great job, Vaporeon." Jake complimented. And Vaporeon cheers as well before getting returned.

Now that the battle is over, we keep crossing the train tracks to the area ahead. But we all take small little detour to one of the small areas to the right.

Nothing was there except for a Big Nugget. Well, that's always worth something. I could use that to sell for a high price at a mart.

We leave the small tunnel, and head over to the exit. Yes! Finally! Since light is up ahead, it further tells me we're at the exit to the mines!

Boy, that climb was worth it...

* * *

 ***scene: Cragonos Peak***

We step outside, finally out of the mines _again._ This time, there were some tall grass patches to the side, and also a staircase to the sky train. And all of us were steeping on train tracks, which did stop a bit further out.

And up ahead was a metal-like path with light blue glowing lights, and it led to... an airship?

So that's how travelling to Anthian City is possible.

We walk across the path, and get met with a larger platform. And there was this man in front of the airship, who I assume is the one who pilots it.

"Awesome! Looks like we're all here, finally out of the mines!" Tess sighed happily.

"That wazzz a rough road ahead of us!" Rotom exclaimed.

"Let's board the airship already!" Jake begged, as his excitement takes over him. I look around. Didn't seem like there was anything else.

I look towards Sonic. He also seemed nervous, but the egg he was holding bounced one time. Is it close to hatching?

"Why the puzzled look, you two? You do know where Anthian City is, right?" Tess asked us.

"I assume we'd have to board the airship to get there." I said with a shrug.

"W-Well, the time in the mines was tough. It's what I'm thinking about." Sonic admitted.

"But we got through it all. And now we're about to head to Anthian City!" Jake said.

"That's pretty much our point, though, Jake," I sighed, "Since I never even heard about Anthian City until Justin mentioned it, Sonic and I have no idea where it is."

"Seriously?!" Jake yelped, "It's the huge city floating above the center of Roria. We've heard stories about it all our lives..."

"It's an astounding demonstration of where science has gotten us today," Tess added, "The whole city is supported by a power core that never runs dry."

"Is it a big city?" Sonic questioned.

"It _is_ the capital of Roria, silly! Of course it's big!" Tess giggled.

"I do remember many sections of the city it's separated in!" Jake cheered.

"You two are going to love it there, bzzt!" Rotom told us.

"Hm. Count us in. Going on this adventure is definitely worth traveling to new places." I said.

"It's incredible!" Tess shouted happily.

"There's a gym there, too!" Jake exclaimed with excitement.

"And you two seem to have three gym badgezzz as of right now. The fourth one is in that city!" Rotom explained,

"Right, but the first thing we need to do is go speak with my father's old friend," Tess suggested, "His name is Gerald. He's the only person, aside from my grandfather and my aunt, that I know, that also knew my parents. I haven't seen him for a while, but know he works at the Poke Ball Shop in Anthian City's Shopping District.

"Ooh! That place sounds nice!" Sonic complimented.

"Once we arrive in Anthian City, we'll need to go see him as soon as possible. He knows and talks with a lot of people from all over Roria," Tess continued, "If anyone can tell us anything about Team Eclipse and both of your parents, he can."

"Yeah, that's a really good idea." Jake said.

"I agree." I added.

"If Gerald can give us any information at all, we'll be that much closer to saving your parents, Nifty and Sonic!" Jake cheered.

"Yep. We're heading onto that airship." I told my friends.

"Exactly. So let's not waste any more time." Tess reminded. And then she turns to the pilot.

"Alright, pilot. We're ready to go!" Tess told the pilot.

"All aboard!" He called out, and then steps onto the airship. We shortly follow afterwards.

"Juzzzt so you guyzzz know, bzzt," Rotom said as he floats to us, "Itzzz going to be about five minutezzz until we actually arrive at the city. So why don't you guyzzz get comfortable until we get there?"

"Good idea, Rotom." Sonic replied. And so we all sat down on different parts of the airship.

Sonic was to one side, putting the egg on the ground. Like before, it bounced once. Could it possibly be close to hatching?

"Hey, Sonic! Do you know what that egg will hatch into?" Jake asked as he sits down next to my other friend.

"No idea." Sonic responded.

"Rotom! Can you use your scanning thing to know what Pokémon is inside the egg?" Jake pleaded. The Rotom Dex just sighed.

"My scanning powerzzz are not equipped to know something that is barely a clue." He admitted.

"Guess we'll have to wait until it hatches." Jake sighed. I just smirk at the sight. Yes, I am also anticipated to know what is gonna hatch from that egg.

But I decide to relax for a bit. I pull out my smartphone from my pocket, and plug my earbuds into it, then put both the pods in my ears.

I scroll around YouTube looking for some songs to play. Hm, I wonder what song I should listen to...

"Hey, Nifty." I heard Tess's voice. I look up, and then I see her next to me.

"Wazzup." I responded.

"May I sit down next to ya?" Tess asked, a smile of encouragement on her face.

"Knock yourself out." I responded, scooting over a bit. Tess sat down next to me as soon as I did.

"So," Tess started, "We're heading to Anthian City. It's a really big city with so many shops and places. I bet you are going to like it there."

I put my earbuds away as I listen to her.

"I bet I will. New places on this mighty adventure, I'll take that chance." I said, pumping my fist and showing a determined grin.

"Good to hear!" Tess grinned as well. I just sit back as I looked around the airship. There were actually tiny rooms inside so none of us have to feel the breeze in case we were outside.

"Oh, by the way, Nifty," Tess suddenly said, "I've been meaning to ask you. You know, since I've gotten to know more about Jake, he kept on telling me how much he looks up to you. He also says that you're awesome, brave, cool... and savage."

"Well, you'e right on all of those. Especially the savage part." I snickered.

"Actually, my point is... why _does_ Jake look up to you all the time?" Tess asked, raising one eyebrow in curiosity. I nodded my head, understanding why'd she want to know so much.

"Well," I replied, "It's different from Sonic. Sonic and I knew each other because my parents are partners with his parents, so it's obvious we'd become great friends. But for Jake. The reason why he looks up to me is because... I saved him."

Tess gasped at that. She was surprised, but also amazed for how I became friends with Jake in the first place.

"You _saved_ him? Like how you sent out Charizard to save Jake from falling earlier?" She questioned, still showing that shocked look.

"Yeah, saving, but not like in a near-death situation," I admitted, "Jake and I first met back in the Pokémon School, when him, Sonic and I were in third grade. I save Jake from a couple bullies that were picking on him."

"Oh my Arceus. That's terrible! Bullies suck!" Tess exclaimed.

"Yeah. I was at the cafeteria when it happened, when Sonic and I were talking during lunch..." I begin to reminisce the memories.

The memory when I first met Jake.

* * *

 **-Nifty 8 years old POV-**

 ***scene: Pokémon School, cafeteria***

I was talking with my greatest friend, Sonic, and he was listening to everything I was saying.

"And then I finally unlocked the Lightning Cup!" I said excitedly, "Only getting 2nd place in one race, I got it! My racing skills in Mario Kart Wii are getting really good!"

Sure, it _is_ only 50cc. I need more practice to get through those higher CCs with ease like that!

"You really enjoy playing that game, don't you? I don't blame you! It's fun!" Sonic giggled.

"Yes it is! If I practice long enough, I'll become an expert one day!" I cheered. Sonic and I talked about more stuff that happened at our homes recently. With our love for video games, our conversations just get better!

"Do you wanna come over to my home and play tomorrow?" Sonic asked me, a big smile shown on his face.

"I need to ask mommy and daddy. I sure hope so!" I responded. I started talking again, and Sonic joined in to listen.

Huh?

I suddenly stopped to hearing yelling and crying. The yelling was... anger. Oh no.

Not this again...

"Hrmmm..." I growled, an angry look visible on my face.

"What's wrong, Nifty?" Sonic asked. I put my hand out in front of him.

"Stay. I'll... be right back." I replied hesitantly. Sonic luckily agreed to my request as I left the cafeteria. I end up in the hallway, because that's where the noise is coming from.

I saw one of the taller kids, Mitch: with tan skin, brown hair, a yellow shirt and grey pants. Great. It's him. The teasing bully that no one likes. Just great...

And then I saw a smaller kid, around my age. He had light skin like me, blue hair like Sonic, and he wore a grey shirt, jeans, and brown sneakers.

"I SAID...! Did you do it?! Did you throw the dodgeball at the ceiling like I told you to?!" Mitch screamed.

"N-No! W-Why would I?" The smaller boy stuttered. The Mitch pushes him down. I gasped. That just managed to get me more angry.

"You wimp!" Mitch insulted.

"HEY! Leave him alone!" I shouted, pointing at the smaller boy. Mitch turned around and got more angry. I wasn't scared. I clench my fists.

I had no intent of hitting him, but I felt like it.

"Stay out of this! This is only between us!" Mitch told me.

"I mean, you can continue... if you want to get in trouble." I said.

"What's it to you?!" Mitch growled as he got closer to me. But I just show my angry eyebrows and a smug smile.

"You wouldn't wanna be caught anytime soon! Ha ha! I suggest you get lost!" I laughed. That made him furious now.

Mitch threw a punch, but I blocked it and squeezed his hand. He yelled from the squeeze. Then I throw his hand to the side, and he stumbled and fell.

"Leave the boy alone. I'm going to call a teacher if you do!" I said, with the second part of my sentence in a singsong-tease style.

Mitch growls loudly, and glares at the small guy.

"You're lucky to have escape this time! But I'll come back!" Mitch screamed, and then runs away. I sigh and shake my head. Bullies just don't understand...

I walk up to the victim. He was scared in his crouching position. I hold my hand out, hoping he would accept my kindness.

The boy looked at me, and took my hand. I helped him up, and we looked at each other.

"Are you okay?" I asked the boy. He nodded.

"What's your name?" I immediately ask another question.

"Uh... Jake. Jake... Caper." The boy replied. This time, I offer to shake his hand.

"Name's Nifty Weaka." I told him. Jake shook my hand, with a huge smile on his face.

"Let's be friends, Nifty! We can meet in the cafeteria tomorrow!" Jake said excitedly. Yeah, tomorrow. Because lunch is almost gonna end.

"Sure, I'd love to!" I reply to his suggestion, also showing a big smile. Jake then whined from some pain. I see him hold his right arm.

"Oh, er... you might wanna get your arm checked out if it hurts." I suggested.

"N-No, it's okay! I'll be fine..!" Jake insisted, nervously laughing.

"Okay. But you know the nurse is always two turns right from here." I reminded.

"Heh, I know! I just wanna thank you for the save, Nifty Weaka!" Jake shouted, keeping that happy look.

"S... Sure. You're welcome." I paused my sentence a bit.

 _"Okay, lunch is over! Everyone back to your main classes!"_ I heard the principal call out. Guess I'll talk with Sonic again tomorrow.

"I gotta go! I will meet you again tomorrow, Nifty!" Jake said one last time, and then starts walking fast, back to his classroom.

"Bye, Jake." I replied. And then I go back to my class before it's too late.

* * *

 ***back to the present, on the airship***

 **-Nifty's POV-**

"I remember that day like it was yesterday." I say as I finally finish the story.

"Whoa," Tess said in astonishment, "That's amazing! It's no wonder Jake always talks about good things whenever he mentions you! That's a very touching story."

"Yeah, I'm glad we met. Then when Jake and I talked the next day, and when he met Sonic, it was a ramble of trying to keep up with what he's saying." I joked. Tess and I managed to laugh after that.

"Jake hasn't changed at all, hasn't he?" Tess assumed.

"Yep. And I hope he never does." I responded.

"Guyzzz! Get up! Come outside the ship, it's amazing!" Rotom floated to us as he screeched in surprise. Tess and I stood up, and step outside the airship.

I meet up with Sonic and Jake, and we all cheered to see what was up ahead. Finally, out of the troublesome mines, and with Sonic getting Bagon on his team so we can all get better together.

This is where it truly starts. We're having an idea where a place Sonic and I never knew would soon become where we all would become the team I'm thinking of making. And it starts in the distance for what we see up ahead.

Anthian City.

* * *

 **A/N: HOLLLY CRAAAAAAAP! 19K words, almost at 20K! Geez, that's my longest chapter ever with that many words! :O**

 **I hope the wait was worth it, guys! The Anthian Arc is probably going to be one of my best chapters yet! And I also wanna share a little something.**

 **Similar to the Pokémon movies, Sonic, my co-writer (the one who gives me some suggestions, and is the creator of Sonic Harknah, and the Sonic Inkling in my Splatoon stories), suggested to me a Brick Bronze side story to put legendaries, and maybe put the gang in another region.**

 **However, I am kinda skeptical if I'm gonna add it in. But, if I were to add it, it wouldn't be canon to the Admin Story. But I always appreciate any ideas he gives to me. ;)**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! Have a great rest of your day, and I will cya next time! :D**


	23. Anthian Arc 1: Arriving And Shopping

**Hello! This is the one, guys! The Anthian City arc of chapters officially starts here! Boy, I sure have been waiting for this just as much as you guys are!**

 **But I got nothing else to say for this newly released chapter, so I'm just gonna let you guys read it and let you have your opinions on it!**

 **Enjoy! :D**

* * *

The airship finally makes a stop after the five minutes we have been on it. Once the airship fully stopped moving, all of us came closer to the front so we can land on the ground of the floating city.

Yep. That's because we have arrived at Anthian City.

I was the first to step on the ground of the large city. The others followed shortly after I did, and Rotom just floated above us because he isn't a walker.

I looked around. I could see up in front that, indeed, this city is huge. In the distance, I see some small buildings, but from this point, I don't know what each of then are. But then I turn back to my friends, and they all share the same excitement as I am.

"We've finally made it!" Jake cheered, "Anthian City. What a beautiful place!"

"It is very beautiful, Jake. It's entrancing look is really showing!" Sonic complimented.

"Extremely extraordinary." I added.

"You got that right, Nifty!" Rotom chuckled.

"Where should we go first?" Jake asked Tess, trying his hardest to not let his excitement get too out of hand.

"Well, Anthian City is divided into four districts," Tess explained, "We are currently in the housing district. This is where all the locals live. There are even several places where trainers like us can rent apartments."

Ooh, rent apartments, eh? I thought about that. It wouldn't be too great to always sleep in the nearest Pokémon Center every time in our journey. I think doing that would be a great idea!

"Plus, the museum is in this district, with lots of great art and history." Tess continued.

"Whoa! Bzzt, thizzz would be a great idea to go to one day!" Rotom exclaimed.

"Most definitely." I whispered to Rotom. Jake just had an excited grin on his face as Tess told him everything that she knows about the city. Sonic and I were also certainly interested.

"At the end of the Housing District is the entrance to the Shopping District," Tess said, "The Shopping District is where you can do a lot of shopping for Poke Balls, clothes, and other neat items. And from the Shopping District you can reach the Battle District and Park District."

"So, where do we head to?" Sonic asked in a curious tone.

"First, we need to head to the Shopping District. Gerald, my father's friend, works there with his wife." Tess replied as she turns to Sonic.

"Ahh, thatzzz right! To know more about Team Eclipse and Sonic's and Nifty's parents!" Rotom suddenly said.

"Alright, what are we waiting for? Let's go talk to him!" Jake insisted. And then he gone off ahead, with Tess following him.

"Hey, wait up!" I shouted, as Sonic, Rotom and I quickly walked up to catch up with them.

"Oh! Sorry, Rotom, Nifty and Sonic. We got excited for a second there, we couldn't help it." Tess said with a nervous laugh as she and Jake stopped in their tracks.

"It's okay, Tess." Sonic responded while smiling. And then we all walked together. So we passed one small path, and then reach a circular area, where there was a large logo that said "Anthian City" in white letters, and a red glow.

I saw some people all around, but we are focused on visiting Gerald for now before we come back here. Behind the logo was a small waterfalls, like all those rich, fancy places have.

Up a small set of stairs, and here was more for us to see. To the right was a big place called "The Golden Poke Ball". I have no idea what that is. Maybe some kind of hotel? And to the right, there's the museum. And there was also a small bridge connecting to the left and right sides of this district. Makes sense, cause of the water border.

Moving on, and past another set of stairs, there was another bridge, and two buildings for apartments, too. The one on the right, which is the one we were on, is Affordable Anthian. Kinda weird for a name. And on the left was Anthian Adobes.

We just walked past all of that for now. We walk up a larger case of stairs after walking a little bit more. And soon enough, we ended up in the Shopping District.

There were some more smaller buildings, but there wasn't any logos or anything. Just some neat, fancy glows. And that's okay enough.

"Welcome to the Shopping District, guys." Tess said as she observes her surroundings.

"Wow. We've been in this place for one minute, and I already love it." I complimented. All of us chuckled at that.

"The Poke Ball Shop is just ahead. Let's all go now." Tess insisted. We agreed to her request, and followed her to the entrance of the Poke Ball Shop.

That specific shop is a red building similar to the Pokémon Center. Looking out the window were different kinds of Poke Balls on display, and there was a sign that had a giant Poke Ball, and it was rotating. Such a sight to see.

We head inside the shop. It looked a little bigger on the inside, but I wouldn't mind either way. The floor is also red, and the walls were white, like an actual Poke Ball. There was also a gray border on the bottom of those walls, with a red line above the border. There were displays of different Poke Balls, and there was the shop clerk who had dark skin, black fuzzy hair, a blue shirt with a black tie, and greenish-brown pants.

Tess led us to this one man who was looking at one of these case displays. It was a man who also had dark skin. He wore a black top hat, a black long sleeve shirt, and tan khakis with black boots.

"Um, Gerald? Is that you?" Tess asked the man. And as soon as she said that, the man turns around. I then notice that the black shirt was a black jacket, and he had a white shirt underneath that. The man looked surprised as he looked at Tess.

"Well, my goodness! Is that you, Tess?" He asked. Tess nodded. Ah, so this must be Gerald. Good thing we found him.

"My my. You're quite a lot older than the last time I saw ya. It's been five or six years, at least," Gerald chuckled, "How's that grandfather of yours?"

"It's been ten, actually. And my grandfather is as old and obnoxious as always." Tess replied. Holy crap, ten years?! Giratina Christ, it must've been since forever since these two met!

"Oh, ha ha ha! That sounds like him, alright." Gerald laughed. He calmed his laugh down easily, and then looks at all of us.

"So, what brings you kids all the way out to the great city in the sky?" He questioned.

"Gerald, I remember my father talking about traveling with you all over Roria." Tess reminded. Well, considering she said that Gerald is her father's friend, it would make sense she would remind the man of that.

"Oh, yes. Your father and I were very well known for our adventures and findings all throughout this region," Gerald replied, "There is hardly a rock in Roria that we have left unturned throughout the course of our expeditions. I was so hurt when I found out about your mother and father's disappearance. I've hardly left the city but a handful of times since that time."

Wow, this is getting interesting. I remember when Tess's aunt told Sonic and I that her parents disappeared, and haven't returned ever since. This has gotten my full attention.

"You know, I was a part of the first search party to go looking for your parents," Gerald continued, "After a week of searching some of the places your father and I traveled to, I could not think where else to look for them. I'm so sorry that they were not around to see you grow to become the capable young person you are now."

Geez, that must've been deep for her. And I remember Jake about to compliment Tess of being capable after that time in Route 9.

"It's alright, Gerald. I'm actually not here to talk about my parents, though." Tess reminded him. Gerald was shocked that _that_ wasn't the reason, but he kept calm and clears his throat.

"Oh, well then... how can I help you?" He asked. Tess gestured towards us.

"These are my friends: Nifty, Sonic, Jake, and Rotom." She responded.

"Hello!" Jake greeted.

"Nice to meet you!" Sonic added.

"Pleasure to meet eyezzz with you, Mr. Gerald!" Rotom said.

"Howzit goin?" I replied. Gerald chuckled warmly, and proceeded to give us all a handshake, one by one. I was the first, then Sonic, then Jake. And Rotom used his bolt-like arm to just feel Gerald's hand since Rotom is in the form of the Pokédex.

Gerald then went back to his position as Tess began to explain things.

"You see," She started, "Not too long ago, a ruthless gang of evil people named 'Team Eclipse' kidnapped Nifty and Sonic's parents. Nifty, Sonic, Jake and Rotom have been tracking them down until they wound up in Rosecove, where Grandpa and I were attacked by Team Eclipse. Thanks to Sonic, Jake and Nifty, Grandpa and I were saved."

Every detail was said in the most truthful tone I've heard.

"Unfortunately, we were not able to get any information on Nifty and Sonic's parents," Tess sighed, "We decided to set out and look for them together. I thought we could try asking you if you knew anything that might help us find Sonic and Nifty's parents, or track down Team Eclipse."

"Yes, I am very well-acquainted with the name 'Eclipse'." Gerald said, as he now got serious.

"Really?" Sonic asked.

"What exactly _do_ you know about them?" I questioned, curious to know what Gerald thinks of them.

"Those goons have raided our city before," Gerald replied, "Anthian City has since banned them and anyone suspected to be associated with them."

Gerald walked a little closer towards me.

"I'm curious though, Nifty. What did they want with your parents?" He asked.

"The Professor Cypress from Mitis Town believes it may have something to do with the fact that they are archeologists, and know a lot about the history of Roria." Jake said.

"That's right. Since my parents are very smart thanks to their skills as one of the most famous archeologists of Roria," I added, "Team Eclipse would be curious to threaten them in a way that will force them to give in every little piece of personalized information."

It was then that Gerald backed up a bit, a quiet gasp being heard. Does he know them? Is _that_ why this man I met a minute ago is surprised?

"Oh my. Your parents are the world-famous archeologists from Mitis Town? I've run into them on several times of my own adventures." He said in shock.

"You're kidding." I said, my eyes widening.

"I guarantee that thizzz man izzz seriouzzz, Nifty." Rotom reminded.

"Well, we can't go wrong with that." I responded, shrugging my shoulders.

"They are some of the greatest people I've met in my journeys," Gerald said, "They sure do know an awful lot about the history and legends of Roria. That worries me, though, knowing that Team Eclipse wants them."

"Let's not forget that they abducted Sonic's parents, too. They're scientists, and my parents are complete buddies with his parents. Since the two pairs share a lot of interests with history and legends, Team Eclipse is desperate to want something so hidden, even from us." I ranted.

"Hm. That is truly concerning." Gerald sighed.

"I hope we save them soon." Sonic cried.

"Don't worry, Sonic. We will. Team Eclipse won't know what hit 'em." I responded to my friend, trying to cheer him up.

"Especially since you have us." Tess added. Sonic and I turn to her, and Tess smiles. Jake waves while showing a big, excited grin. And Rotom is just there, too. I respond by showing a thumbs up, and Sonic nods and smiles.

"So, Mr. Gerald," I said as I turn back to the dark-skinned man, "I heard before you said that Team Eclipse raided Anthian City one time. What are the major details during that invasion?"

"When Team Eclipse was here in Anthian, they made an attempt to steal an artifact from the museum," Gerald explained, "Thankfully, our local police were able to stop them in time."

"What artifact were they trying to steal?" Sonic questioned.

"The item they were after is known as the Prison Bottle. And Nifty," Gerald turns towards me again, "Your parents were actually the ones who discovered it, in a cavern off the main shores of Roria."

I began to think about that. I remember when I was about to begin my adventure, I saw my parents in front of a cave that was condemned, so I was unable to go in.

Is that the cavern? Is the Prison Bottle the reason why my parents closed off the entrance?

And then I thought about latter. Sonic's parents must've done some analysis studies on it, just to be sure. And I could tell it would be extremely dangerous.

"There's a legend that says it contains the true power of a Pokémon that lies dormant somewhere deep within the caves of Crescent Island. Nobody has been able to prove that the legends are true. Nobody has proven them false, either." Gerald continued.

"Crescent Island is just off the eastern coast of Roria, isn't it?" Jake asked.

"Correct," Geral answered, "Many times, adventurers like Tess's father and I would go cave diving in Crescent Island. We've never seen anything more than an interesting set of rocks in those caves."

Ahh, so _that's_ why Tess is experienced with free diving! She inherited that from her dad! It all makes sense now!

"Anyone that has gone down into those caves looking for artifacts has returned empty handed... with the exceptions of your parents, Nifty." Gerald stated.

"Wow. They never told me about that stuff. No wonder they're secretive in their skills." I mumbled.

"So, if Mr. and Mrs. Weaka were able to find the Prison Bottle, then we may know the secrets hidden inside!" Sonic said.

"I do not know what the Prison Bottle is really for, but it's best it stays in the museum, out of reach of that Team Eclipse." Gerald reminded.

"So Team Eclipse was here and tried stealing an artifact?" Jake asked.

"Dude. Gerald literally said that not a minute ago." I sighed.

"But it's best to stay aware. We may never know if they'd come back." Sonic warned.

"That's true." Tess and I said in unison. But still, Gerald nodded after Jake's question.

"That's interesting," He complimented, "I wonder if they were after it because of something your parents told them. You know, since your parents were the ones that found it."

"Valid point, Jake." I replied.

"They'll do whatever it takes, won't they?" Sonic questioned.

"The Weakas and the Harknahs are getting an endangered warning when it comes to that crap. So yeah, you're right." I answered.

"I can't imagine why else they would be after it." Jake sighed.

"Gerald, is there anything you can tell us about Team Eclipse? Anything that can help us find them?" Tess asked the tall man. Gerald sighed and shows a somber look, really giving us the answer there.

"Unfortunately, that's all I know about them," He said, "They usually only surface when they're after something."

That explains the volcano incident with Groudon, and the lighthouse problem with Kyogre. Not to mention that the Team Eclipse Duo were sneaking up on us to kidnap Jirachi for themselves.

"There's gotta be some other hints!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Well, they were yelling something about a 'new world' when they were here." Gerald reminded. I stumbled a bit, but no one else noticed. But I had the rights to.

I remember when Eclipse Admin Gabe was about to catch Kyogre, he said something along the lines of "Join me, and we'll create a new world together".

"Our police managed to capture one of them," Gerald continued, "They interrogated the man, and he said that our world would crumble and that a new world would save mankind."

"What the _hell_ kind of rant is that?! That sounds like something an insane person would say!" I shouted.

"It does sound scary." Sonic shuddered.

"But why? Why would Team Eclipse say a bizarre statement in order to scare otherzzz?" Rotom asked.

"If you ask me, it just sounds like a bunch of crazy people decided to make a gang and harass innocent members of our city." Gerald grumbled. All of us gasped.

That's something to take in mind, remembering a sociopathic rant with a "new world" attatched to it all.

"If I were you kids, I wouldn't go messing with them. They are nothing but trouble. I would let the police of Roria take care of it." Gerald warned. Here we go with this crap again...

I had to speak up against this.

"Now, wait just a bloody minute!" I yelled, "The police ain't gonna do s**t! You need some people who are daring enough to travel around Roria and put an end to this! Cause if anyone is going to stop a group of psychopaths and save my parents, along with Sonic's, it's gonna be us! And ONLY us!"

"I'm afraid I can't stand back and wait, either." Tess agreed. She shows an angry look, which made me know that she isn't messing around. She walked towards Gerald and closed her hands to form them into fists.

"When _my_ parents disappeared, it took a whole _month_ to get a search team together! I _can't_ let the same happen to Nifty and Sonic!" Tess shouted, "I'm going to do whatever it takes to help save Nifty and Sonic's parents from Team Eclipse!"

"Gee. Tess izzz getting worked up from thizzz." Rotom stated.

"Stuff it in your socks, Rotom. She actually agrees with knowing we can do this together." I growled.

"You are just like your father, you know," Gerald sighed. "Brave and adventurous. The Exeggcute don't fall far from the Exeggutor."

Gerald stroked his chin for a moment, and then he smiles at us.

"Alright," He decided, "I will start doing some quick research and see what else I can find on Team Eclipse. I know a few people from a few places around Roria that might know a thing or two more than I do."

"Great! That would be so helpful!" Tess giggled. She turns to all of us, and we all face her.

"Nifty, Sonic..." She pauses her sentence to pump her fist and show a determined look, "We are going to stop Team Eclipse and get your parents back! I just know it!"

"Heck yeah!" I cheered.

"Thanks, Tess! You're a really great friend!" Sonic complimented.

"Aww, you're too kind!" Tess chuckled.

"This may take some time," Gerald said, "If you kids want to explore the city while I make a few calls, I will come find you when I am done."

"Well, if we're being honest, I was thinking we'd tour everywhere here," I explained, "See, Sonic and I don't know anything about Anthian City. And plus, since we'll have to stop multiple times to eat and sleep, I was thinking I would rent an apartment for all of us to stay at."

Everyone was shocked at my sudden explanation.

"You wanna stay here?" Gerald asked.

"Yeah, just until we put an end to Team Eclipse once and for all." I responded.

"Staying at this big city sounds like a wonderful idea!" Jake cheered.

"Alright, Nifty. We'll hook up a room for rent. Perfect for relaxing after a long day's work." Tess said with a smirk. I also smirked to match hers.

"Neato." I said. And then we all leave the shop, leaving Gerald to his busy work.

Back out in the Shopping District of Anthian City, we looked around.

"Let's head back to the Housing District to get our room!" Sonic suggested.

"Way ahead of ya." I replied. We wasted no time in heading to the Housing District as soon as we were done talking.

We arrive at the District in a few more seconds from walking.

"So, where to, guyzzz?" Rotom questioned.

"Well, I was thinking we can probably stay... there." I responded, pointing across from us, but also a bit north. The building I was pointing at was the Golden Poke Ball.

"Ooh. I heard that the Golden Poke Ball is really good. But... it's also very expensive." Tess warned.

"The other places may seem too basic." Sonic pointed out.

"Hmm... what if we combine our money?" Tess suggested.

"That could work." I said. So we walked to the big building after more walking. Seriously though. The building is freaking huge.

* * *

 ***scene: Golden Poke Ball***

I step inside, and the others stay by my side. We were all in awe from how amazing this place looks on the inside.

It was very bright with a clear, marble floor. And there was even a Poke Ball icon in the middle (with the top part of it gold, of course). There were tons of people walking everywhere, doing anything they set their minds to.

There were some blue pillars to really set the mood, and possibly hold the place up. There were two small plants around the pillars, too.

Yeah, this place really gets to me.

To the right of the inside of this place, there was the entrance to an arcade. Wow. I can already tell I am going to enjoy this place.

But we'll tour this amazing building once we get our room.

We head to the front desk, and the lady at the front smiles warmly at us.

"Welcome to the Golden Poke Ball," She greeted, "We have a range of high-quality condominiums available for purchase. If you're just visiting a friend, you are welcome to take the elevator to their condo. Or, are you looking to buy one of your own?"

"Yes. We're here to rent an apartment, ma'am." I said. The woman bows and her smile is wider.

"Great! These are the layouts we have available." She brings out a paper that shows the layouts. There were three pictures to show all three layouts, and there was a small description of each.

The first layout is Symmetry. This one is contrary to its name, since its in a symmetric format. It features 2 staircases, 2 bedrooms, and another big room in the lower parts of the whole apartment.

The second layout is Fabulous. So, it says in the description that it has 3 bedrooms, but one entrance. There is a window on each floor, and there's a good amount of open space for us.

The third layout is Elegance. There is tons of open space, a balcony, and two bedrooms. I believe I may already know which one we're going for.

"So. We should go for the elegance layout. What do you think?" I suggested as I turn to my friends.

"Do we even have enough?" Sonic asked.

"In case it doesn't... I always kept a good amount of Robux that works for shopping at anything. This may work, too." I explained.

"Okay! Let's go for it then!" Sonic cheered.

"Lady, we'll be viewing an elegance layout, please." I turn back to the woman and tell her our request. She smiles and nods.

"Right this way." She said. And she guided us all to the elevator. She presses a button to go up, and we head inside the elevator.

10 seconds pass by during this small ride, and we reach a hallway of five different doors. The lady guides us to the door farthest from the elevator.

She opens the door, and I can already tell this room is huge.

"This room is special since all four of you seem to travel together. But anyway, take a look around. Let me know what you all think!" The lady said.

"Thanks." I replied. And we all tour around the room. Well, that paper didn't lie when it said there's tons of open space here.

But there was something different about this room, it seems. Let me explain.

So, as it turns out, unlike the usual two rooms like the paper said, this specific room had these details: four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large balcony, and the kitchen, dining room, and living room were also very wide.

It's decided. We're taking this room.

We eventually meet back up to the woman, who was still standing by the elevator.

"So, what do you say? Do you want it?" She asked.

"Itzzz so big!" Rotom screeched.

"I love it!" Jake giggled.

"So do I!" Sonic added.

"I also really like it! I've never seen a room so big!" Tess complimented.

"We'll take it." I finalized.

"This one costs $900,000. Is that okay?" The lady warned.

"Do you guys accept Robux?" I pulled out some leftover Robux I had. The hostess nodded.

"Yes, of course. With that, I can lower the price a tiny bit." She reminded.

"Deal!" I responded. I give a couple of the Robux to her, and she began to think of some calculations in her head.

"The price is reduced to the normal price of $750,000." She said. Dang, _that's_ the normal price? This room must be _very_ special.

"Okay, guys. Let's combine some of our money for this room." I told my friends. Everyone gave a specific amount of money. Not too much, and yet not too little.

I did some calculations myself on my phone before we gave a certain money amount. The amount we gave is $187,500.

"The room is all yours. I hope you enjoy it." The woman bows while keeping her kind smile, and then she leaves by taking the elevator.

We all then huddled up together, now that we have this huge room for ourselves.

"What now, guys?" Sonic asked.

"If I were to point something out, we should decorate. This whole layout looks... dull and boring." Tess replied. She isn't wrong. This whole room had no furniture, with a tannish floor, light gray walls, and some white staircases.

"Yeah, we should get some paint, and some furniture, too. Give this special room some pizzazz." I suggested.

"Any of you do know where we can buy that stuff, right?" Rotom questioned.

"Follow me, boys." Tess assured. And we leave our special room for now. Luckily, I also saw a quick glance of a high security in each room, to make sure no one breaks in.

That's always good to have.

* * *

 ***scene: Anthian City Shopping District***

We arrive back at the Shopping District shortly after we left. We take a couple turns around the place, and eventually we find this orange building with the title saying "Zombie's Painting And Hardware".

"We'll check here for some paint." Tess said.

"Awesome!" Sonic and I cheered in unison. We enter the orange building. The interior seemed small, with a dark brown wooden tiled floor, and white and greenish-brown walls.

But since this is mainly a paint store, it has its rights for being small.

At the front desk, we see this mysterious figure who just wore a golden hoodie. We couldn't see his face at all. Or any other body part, for that matter.

We walk more towards the right to look around the small place. There were some small paper decals hanging on a wall, and it showed many different colors. And then there was this one man with a white shirt standing there.

"I'm trying to pick a new color for my apartment. I can't decide between brown and blue." He sighed.

"Well, I hope you'll find a color that works out for you." Sonic assured.

More farther to he right, we see some wallpapers standing on a shelf. And a girl with brown hair and a blue, long-sleeve shirt looks at us.

"How do you go about choosing what you want your walls to look like when there are so many choices?" She cried.

"Patience is a virtue." Was all I said. And then we step up to the front desk after that small talk.

The unseen figure looks towards us.

"Welcome to Zombie's Paint and Hardware!" He greeted enthusiastically, "How may I help you?"

On the bright side, this guy isn't speaking in a deep, scary voice. So that really eased us up.

"Well, for starters, we're looking for some paint, please." I replied.

"Please select a color." The figure reminded, pulling out a custom tablet. On the screen of that tablet had a color wheel where we can choose which kind of colors we want.

"Ooh, okay," I chuckled, "So, I just wanna say all of us are picking our own colors, so we're all paying together. For me, I'm gonna go for a bright red."

"For me, I'll pick blue." Sonic said.

"I'll pick a darker gray!" Jake stated.

"And for me, I'll have a neon purple." Tess added.

"And I'm here, too!" Rotom cheered.

"We know." Sonic, Jake, Tess and I said in unison. I clear my throat as I got another idea.

"Maybe a couple extra colors for other rooms: maybe a dark brown, and a cream color." I insisted.

"The total is $3,000. That okay?" The figure questioned.

"Yep!" All of us said at the same time. We give this man the money, and then he gestures towards something on his desk.

"Okay! Let's mix it!" And the mysterious guy walks towards a blank paint bucket underneath a small machine. This machine must give it the colors we want.

He reaches under the desk, and out comes three more paint buckets. And he uses the machine for each individual bucket.

About 2 minutes pass, and all buckets have their specified colors. Red for me, blue for Sonic, dark gray for Jake, and purple for Tess. And the figure also got the dark brown and cream colors for the other rooms that won't be ours.

"There you go, guys! Have a nice day!" The figure said as he gives us the paint buckets.

"Thank you!" We all said. And we wasted zero time in leaving the paint shop shortly afterwards.

Stepping outside the building, I take in the fresh air of this amazing city. We have a room in one of the most expensive places, got a small discount for it, and we even get to paint the walls now.

That room has four bedrooms, for Arceus sake! We can color it for all our needs!

"By the way, there's a furniture shop here, too. We should go check that out." Tess said.

"Good idea." I responded. And like before, Tess led us to another building. This time, it was a bigger green and yellow building, with the title "Anthian Furniture", which had its logo on a wooden panel.

This building seems bigger than the last one, so I think we'll take the opportunity to explore what's available.

Inside, it looked big enough for my expectations. A wooden floor, and the walls were the same color as the exterior of the building. Also, there were some green chairs, couches, and beds on display. Why entirely green though?

Meh, I guess it doesn't matter.

And there were two people at the front desk. One was a woman with pink-like skin, a crown, princess-like clothing, and purple wings. For cosplay, of course. And the other person is a guy with yellow skin, an excited grin on his face, and he also had a red top hat on his head.

And in the lobby, there's just this one guy standing there.

"Furniture HYPE!" He screamed. All of us looked in him with an uncomfortable look. But it's not like it mattered too much. Cuz we're gonna get some furniture of our own.

So we walk up to the front counter, and decide to talk to the woman first.

"Hello, I'm Brie," She greeted, "I sell special even furniture from time to time. Check back in regularly to see if anything is available!"

"Understood. Have a good day, ma'am." I said. So now we know she has the special furniture whenever it is being sold. So I assume the other guy is selling regular furniture?

We decide to ask him about that.

"You're here to buy some fantastic furniture, am I right?" He assumed.

"Yes. We would like to check out some furniture." Sonic replied.

"Sweet! Here's what we have available..." The man said, and then he gave us a large sheet of items. They were each separated into different categories, so we can find requested items easier.

And by categories, these kinds are in styles. The styles go in this order: Ancient, Classic, Cute, Honeycomb, Marble, Modern, Next Level, Royal, Rustic, Sci-Fi, Sleek, Slick, Smooth, and Unknown. And there's also a miscellaneous section, too. Which I assume has extra items.

"Feel free to take a look around, guys. We're each paying for our own." I told my friends. Jake, Tess and Sonic nodded at my suggestion, and Rotom just smiles at us as we browse around.

We took a few minutes to gander at every possible thing. We mostly looked at the classic and modern items that are available.

So we took our time to get any important thing pertaining to our interest: beds, chairs, tables, and even other stuff like shelves and cabinets.

Sonic and I insisted to get some other expensive, but worthy things. Stuff like kitchenware and a TV set.

And once we got the important stuff out of the way, we then headed to the miscellaneous items that they offer at this store.

So for me, I ended up looking at a few rugs and mats. Yes, they have a red option for the rugs and mats. Gotta stick with Valor, ya know?

They also had the same for these small display crystals. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. They look so real because of how they seem to glow.

Just for some decoration, I got a couple of the red crystals.

But we all decided on all our items that we are getting like _that._ Like for the room and the paint, we combine some of our money to obtain the total for all our items.

"Thanks for the purchases! We'll put them in right away! I, John Litt, will make sure!" The guy said. All of us got surprised by that.

"Wait! _You're_ gonna install all that in our room?! You're kidding!" I yelled.

"No, I'm serious!" John chuckled, "It's been a tradition. And don't worry, I got some helpers to assist me on the job. Oh, and if you guys have paint, I can quickly call Mr. Zombie to do that for you as well."

"Well, there's four unique colors, I'll tell ya that. Those unique colors can each go in one room," I explained, "And then there's, like, a classic cream and brown color. Those can go in other rooms except for the four bedrooms."

"May I ask your name, in case some trouble happens?" John assured.

"Nifty Weaka." I said.

"Understood, Mr. Weaka! I'll keep it in mind." John responded. That was... odd, but I guess it would make sense, because none of us in the group have any experience with installation of furniture and paint yet.

I lower by eyebrows, still suspicious.

"And... are you sure you'd know where to put it all? In terms of which room?" I questioned.

"I always ask. Every purchase at any hotel is what I always ask upon entering!" John answered, "And plus. It'd be better if we help you out. You're free to do all the extra stuff if you want to!"

"Neato." I responded.

So now that the furniture and paint is taken care of, we step outside the shop.

"You sure that we'll see our room differently once they're done?" Sonic asked.

"I guarantee it. Plus, it'd take much longer if we were the ones doing it." I replied.

"Well, we did it," Tess said with a smile, "It's safe to say we'll be living in Anthian City now. Gotta give my thanks to Nifty for coming up with the idea."

"Heh, no problem." I chuckled.

"Yeah, bzzt! I appreciate the well-thought suggestion, Nifty!" Rotom exclaimed.

"Would you prefer this now over having to stay at a Pokémon Center every night?" I said with a smirk.

"Absolutely!" Jake and Tess said in unison.

"I also agree." Sonic giggled.

"It's unique to be staying at a place that is so good!" Rotom added.

"Exactly. We all start somewhere." I responded while shrugging my shoulders.

"So, it may be a while until they may be done setting up, and we shouldn't disturb them. What should we do now?" Sonic asked.

"Well, I mean, we are in the _Shopping_ District." Tess said.

"You're right. We must check out what else there is to this part of the large city. Explore every inch, and see what they have for us to see. It'll be a nice way to get rid of some time." I explained.

"So let's go find some more shops, and look around!" Jake suggested.

"My thoughts exactly." I said with a smirk. This whole district itself was huge. I'm not even kidding. There was a lot to look around at!

We walk along to see which shop we'd like to head to first. There was so many to look at! And just viewing around this large area is good enough on its own.

Yeah, I admit, going to this large place is worth it. I'm glad that we oughta come here. And no, it's not only for the Gym Badge.

Because it's the sights of the city that really matter.

"Oh, what's that?" Sonic asked as he pointed at one of the shops. We look go see what it was. It was a large, wide, red shop with large windows.

The logo up on the top said "Hero's Hoverboards".

No way! They sell hoverboards here?! Now _that_ is cool!

"Hoverboards? Aw, hell yeah! Count me in!" I cheered.

"Let's see what hoverboards are there!" Jake giggled. And we all head inside the shop.

It seemed larger on the inside than on the outside in my own humble opinion. A classic, brown wooden floor, and gray walls with some blue lights to make the place look even more interesting.

There was this tan-skinned girl standing on one spot, and she looked pretty happy.

"Hoverboards are a great way to get around fast! You can't ride them indoors, but riding outside is a blast!" She told us as we looked at her.

"Oh yeah, we're getting ourselves a hoverboard." I chuckled.

"It's fun to have one in general!" Tess added. There was even more to the right, where there's just more layout to the building in general, with some yellow lines, the logo appearing in the middle, and there was even a halfpipe. For testing the hoverboards, I assume?

And then there was this guy with a hat browsing around the store.

"The deluxe hoverboards are where it's at! They're all so cool looking, and they even go faster than the basic boards! But the hardest part is picking which to use." He cheered.

"Do you have an idea of which one you want to get?" Sonic asked.

"I want them all! Except... maybe the watermelon one..." The guy mumbled. We looked at the deluxe hoverboards they have available.

"That's at least a thought." I said. But we decided not to look at all of them just yet. Besides, there are so many choices for us to choose from!

So now that we know what some of these hoverboards are like, we walk up to the front desk, where this man with a white shirt greeted us.

"Welcome to Hero's Hoverboards! Ran by me, Hero! What can I do for ya?" He greeted.

"Yes, hi. We're here to browse hoverboards, please." I replied.

"What are those ones?" Sonic asked, as he pointed at eight hoverboards hung on the wall behind Hero.

"This is our Basic Collection. You may take one out at a time for free!" He said, "Choose whichever one you'd like!"

So we all look at the basic hoverboards. They're basically the same look, but just have a different color.

There are eight colors available: green, red, pink, white, black, blue, yellow, and gray. Basic as they are, they still look good in my own eyes.

"And what about the ones on the other side?" Jake questioned.

"This is our Deluxe Collection. Once you purchase a board for 50 Robux, you can take it out anytime!" Hero replied. Then he gave us a paper that showed the names of all the deluxe hoverboards.

There's the Noob hoverboard, based off a prototype experiment where a person became all blocky, as well as their whole body changing to a different color.

The second one is the watermelon hoverboard. It's just a long hoverboard, but its color is that resemblant to a watermelon. And the circles on each end are the colors of the contents inside.

The third one is Winter Storm. It's a white hoverboard with black circles on each end, and a black rectangle for where we stand on.

The fourth one is Rainbow Ride. So this one is in the shape of a rainbow, and clouds at the ends. That's pretty much it.

The fifth one is Spear. Gray on the outside, black on most of the inside. It _kinda_ resembles a spear. Looks more like that one part of a guitar.

The sixth one is Dual Blade. This hoverboard is made up of two red edges, with yellow lines to make it stand out. And it's held together by a small, yellow rectangle.

The seventh one is Lavaboard. A red hoverboard with bright yellow details to represent that lava, hence the name.

The eighth one is Heart Attack. A pink hoverboard with little white features, and has a pink flame from the bottom.

The ninth one is Jetstream. Like Heart Attack, it's a similar style, but it's light blue with dark blue lines, and a cyan flame.

The tenth one is Banana. It's... just a large banana. That's it.

The eleventh one is Green Laserboard. It's in the shape of a black sword, and neon green details in the middle, and two green lines on the bottom.

And the final one is Purple Laserboard. It's just like the green one, but it's purple to replace the green.

"Nifty, how do you earn these 'Robux' anyway?" Tess questioned.

"Sonic and I will tell you. We know a little secret." I whispered.

"Let's get the basic hoverboards. We need to save some money just in case we find anything at other shops we head to." Jake suggested.

"Ah, that's exactly what I was thinking!" I chuckled.

"So, what color will it be, guys?" Hero asked.

"You know I'm gonna get the red one." I snickered.

"I will take the blue one please." Sonic said.

"Ooh, ooh, I'll take the gray one!" Jake exclaimed excitedly.

"Well... since there's not a purple option, I'll pick the green one." Tess added.

"Ah, so in total, you'll have the Basic Red Board, Basic Blue Board, Basic Gray Board, and Basic Green Board. You all would like to take those with you?" Hero questioned.

"Yes." All of us said in unison. Hero walked to another small room that is only available from the front desk.

A few minutes later, he comes back, along with placing four hoverboards on the desk.

"Thanks for stopping by! Peace!" Hero laughed as he shows a peace sign.

"You're welcome!" Sonic said with a smile. We each took the hoverboard of the color we requested.

"And if you're new to this, here's one of our instruction manuals. We give these to any of our customers, free of charge!" Hero insisted, giving us a small book. The cover of said book had the title "Hoverboard Instructions" in a large, green font.

There was also an image on the cover, which had a guy (preferably an adult) riding around Anthian City on a basic black hoverboard.

"Thank you. We'll need this." I said. Once we took the manual, we left the shop.

* * *

I was the first to place my hoverboard on the ground as soon as we left the shop.

And as I expected, the hoverboard didn't simply fall, nor make a clattering noise. Instead, it just floats in its one position.

"Yeah, erm... I do not know how to ride one of these things." Tess admitted.

"Neither do I." Jake cried.

"But look on the bright side," Sonic assured, "It's always good if we got to learn, right? Even though this is new, we just need practice!"

"Well, let's take a look at the manual, shall we?" I chuckled. I opened the manual, and went ahead a little bit to see how to operate the darn thing.

"What doezzz it say?" Rotom asked.

"Well," I said, "According to the manual, it says to keep both feet on the hoverboard. Then, when you do, lean forward to go forward, lean back to go backwards, lean left to turn left, and lean right to turn right. Eh, they make it sound simple."

"Yeah. But the problem is actually doing it." Jake sighed.

"Well, all of us are gonna at least try. We bought these for a reason, correct?" I teased.

"You're not wrong." Tess replied.

"Exactly. Let's see how we do with this riding." I said. I stepped on my hoverboard, making sure that both my feet are balanced.

I stumbled a bit, but I extended my arms to the side, and it helped me maintain my balance. When the stumbling stopped, I put my arms down, but I stood in a steady position to not accidentally move the hoverboard.

I look at the others. They were all also having a little trouble. But eventually, they got the hang of it.

"So. What do y'all think?" I asked.

"This feels nice!" Sonic replied.

"Though a little cramped. Maybe I'm just not used to it." Jake confessed.

"It's way different than how TV shows portray them." Tess said.

"How about moving? You guyzzz should do that next!" Rotom reminded.

"Yep. Else we'd never use them." I responded. So I leaned forward slowly, and I started moving at a pretty slow pace.

But hey, it's better than nothing.

A bit more of the practice, I leaned over a bit more. And I started going faster. But I didn't lean all the way, since I don't wanna go too fast.

I decided to go a little advanced then, and lean right as I moved forward. But that didn't last too long.

"Erk!" I grunted as I shut one eye, starting to lose my balance. I couldn't stop the stumbling this time, so I went with plan B.

I jumped up a tiny bit, and I placed my right foot on the solid ground. The hoverboard came to a halted stop. That allowed my other foot to step off, too.

"Are you okay, Nifty?" Rotom asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just not used to it yet." I replied. I took my attention back to the others. They were moving slowly on the hoverboards similar to me.

But I saw Sonic stumble a bit. My shock grows bigger when I saw him about to fall!

Just as soon as he was about to fall, I quickly grabbed his hand and pushed him to the other side so he can keep his balance on the hoverboard.

"You got this, pal. Just give it some time." I said.

"Thanks, Nifty." Sonic replied. I nod as another response. Then I let go of his hand, and let him get used to the hoverboard.

"Oh my Arceus! This feels amazing!" I heard Jake cheer. I looked over at him to see him having a fun time with the hoverboard.

"Feels nice, right?" I questioned.

"Yeah, it doe- WHOA!" Jake said, but then he yelps as he lost his balance during his talking.

He fell backwards, and... as it turns out, he landed right on Tess. She didn't fall (though I'm unsure why not), but the two were very close.

Jake saw what just happened. And his next response was a very surprised look, and a bright red blush. Tess also shared that same red tint on her face.

"Holy-! TESS, I AM SO SORRY! I-I lost my balance!" Jake screeched.

"I-It's alright, Jake. I-It can happen to me, too! Hoverboards are still new to us!" Tess responded with a nervous laugh. I stifled a laugh from their conversation. Yeah, you better believe I know this pair is gonna set sail.

"Whatzzz with the laughing?" Rotom asked, narrowing his eyebrows.

"Shh. Don't ruin the ship." I whispered as I put my pointer finger near Rotom's screen. Rotom was unamused, but he compiled with my request, and floated to where Sonic is at.

That little ship moment didn't last too long, but I savored the moment, knowing I am going to remember it.

"Well, I think we get the idea. We'll get the hang of it eventually." I said.

"Yeah. We should check out some of the other shops." Sonic suggested.

"Where do you think we should check next?" Tess asked.

"We should find out." I replied.

* * *

About 20 minutes later, we were really taking our time to browse every other place that the Shopping District held.

The first stop we saw was this "New Sushi Stick". And after that long climb at the Cragonos Mountains, it's best if we all had a little snack before dinner.

During that time, we each got a berry after trying the Magik Sushi.

The next place we headed to was Hobo's Lucky Lotto. Like in other regions, we have trainer IDs, and that same ID copies to the Pokémon we catch.

The Lucky Lotto simply scans if certain numbers match even a _little_ bit of the ID. Wouldn't you know it...

We got a prize. Though, technically, we shared the prize.

And that prize is money. What a win-win! We used money for our hotel, paint, and furniture. And then we gained a little more back since we were... well, lucky.

And after that fun accomplishment, we were at our last stop: the Stone Shop.

 **(Hey, guys. JRedd7272 here. I was originally going to put some description for the group's time in the Stone Shop, but I am absolutely done with YouTube for a while because it's so stupid. Please let me know if you'd like to descriptions after this release, either by remaking the chapter after its release, or by another separate chapter. Or just leave it be.)**

But geez, it was a good time there. We took the time now to rest for a bit. There were a couple benches at a corner of the district, so we stopped there.

As I sit down on the bench, I reached into my bag again. I pull out the mysterious stone that I got.

Its bright orange color along with a hint of red glows as I stare at it.

"I won't lie when I say this, Nifty... but... you got a Mega Stone as a present, and I sure am impressed you managed to get it, and not in the shop!" Tess shouted.

"Me too, Tess. I, too, am surprised, but also proud." I replied.

"All you need now izzz a Key Stone, bzzt, then you'll be able to get a glimpse of Mega Evolution within you!" Rotom screeched. I smirk as I thought about that.

I remember the battle against the Team Eclipse Duo. When Ray's Sableye was capable of Mega Evolution. I may get to counter against that one day.

"And me, too!" Sonic giggled as he holds my hand, sitting next to me.

"That's correct, because you also have a Mega Stone." I responded.

"I'm excited to use Mega Evolution for my team! It's gonna be awesome!" Sonic cheered.

"Word." I said.

"So, should we go back to the room now, guys?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, bzzt," Rotom agreed, "We have been at the Shopping District for a while now, yet we need to check if our paint and furniture hazzz arrived."

"Oh yeah, let's get going." Tess said.

"Alrighty." I responded. I put the stone back in my bag and then I stood up, with Sonic still next to me.

"Psst."

I heard a whisper. I looked around. There was no one but us.

"Who said that?" I wondered, still wandering around.

"Over here." The same whisper said. I looked all around. But again, I saw nothing.

But then someone approached us from the small yellow corner that we were next to. This person is a businessman, who wore a black suit, a white shirt with a black tie, and long black pants with black shoes.

"Uh... hello, mister." Sonic greeted.

"Forgive me for the sudden intrusion, but I can't help but to notice you guys observing Anthian City. Are you all new here?" The businessman asked.

"Well, I've been here before, but my friends haven't," Tess replied, "My name is Tess. These are my friends: Nifty, Sonic, Jake, and Rotom."

"Ah. My absolute pleasure to meet you all." The man chuckled.

"Same to you." I responded, offering a handshake. He accepted, and the others did the same thing. Well, except Rotom.

"If I may ask, how are you guys enjoying this large city so far?" The businessman questioned, tilting his head to one side, curiously.

"I think it's really good!" I cheered.

"All of us really like it here. We were about to head back to our hotel room right now. We've been shopping for a while," Sonic explained, "And during our shopping, our furniture and stuff is probably shipped there by now."

"Ah, so I would presume you are all moving in." The black-suited man said.

"Yeah! We have a special room at the Golden Poke Ball!" Jake giggled.

"Bzzt, thanks to thezzze guyzzz!" Rotom yelled, as he floated around at a quick pace.

"Hrm... you four are lucky to obtain such a condominium. Let alone gaining it at the most expensive place in all of Roria." The man said, expressing surprise in his tone.

"Heh, you have to thank Nifty and Sonic. Nifty with getting the discount with these 'Robux', and Sonic for helping pay for the more needy furniture."

"Aww, Tess." Sonic chuckled nervously as he rubs the back of his neck with his hands.

"Yeah. We're all a big group at this point. But, uh... we must get going." I said.

"Oh, before you go... I am just wondering..." The businessman sighed, "I'm feeling a surging area between you five as I was close to you."

"What are you saying?" I exclaimed, placing my hands on my hips as I stare at the man.

"Do any of you have access to the legendary ability known as... Battle Bond?" He questioned. My jaw dropped to the floor. The others shared a similar reaction.

"Nifty actually doezzz have that bond with hizzz Greninja!" Rotom screeched.

"Why do you ask that?" I grumble, gaining suspicion on this man.

"Would it be okay if I would see your Greninja's Poke Ball?" He requested, "If you have the special bond with you, I may give you some tips on how to control it, and maybe even help you master it."

I mumble a swear word. I didn't notice a suspicious tone, but the way he's wording it _really_ made me not trust him.

The only thing in my mind was freaking Linda. I almost lost my necklace that my parents gave me, thanks to her. Luckily, I got it back.

How am I supposed to know if this man is on Team Eclipse? It's unethical!

"Nifty... I think you should," Sonic insisted, "You and Greninja have a huge bond together, so the man may help you make it grow even larger."

"I don't trust him. He may trick us." I snapped.

"Don't worry, all of us are together. We'll stop him if he tries!" Sonic said. He gestured towards the others, and I just see Jake, Tess and Rotom with encouraging smiles.

"Alright, fine." I sighed. So I grab the Poke Ball that Greninja is in, and I gave it to the man. He held the ball with both of his hands.

I felt a little tense. But I knew I'd be able to fight back in case I sense a trick. Then I began to feel... a fierce, surging energy.

It may be the Battle Bond again. That's my only guess.

A few seconds later, the man hands me the Poke Ball back. I only raise my eyebrow in confusion. Was this not a trick?

"Eh? That's it?" Tess yelped.

"So... what did you find out?" I asked the business man. He simply nodded while showing a small smile.

"Young man, I have to say you're a natural at this power," He complimented, "However, that does not mean the power is free for you to control. There is the slight pain from the aftermath of that ability. It's best you learn to take the pain, and keep on fighting as if you're still on the line."

"Amazzzing! I better take thizzz in!" Rotom said frantically.

"Just remember to be aware of your surroundings as you see through your Pokémon's eyes," The businessman continued, "Even though your Greninja is the one battling, you must team up with Greninja _mentally_ so both of you know when to strike."

"Mentally? What do you mean?" Sonic asked.

"I think it means something along the lines of 'guess my thoughts and predict the future'." I guessed, as I turned back to the man.

"That is for you to find out on your own." He said.

"Well... thank you for the tips, mister. I'll be sure to remember that for my future battles." I said, showing my trademark pose, which consisted of an arm cross, and a smirk.

"Oh, my pleasure, young man. Good luck on your adventures. One day, you may master the bond perfectly." The businessman complimented. He puts his hands behind his back, and walks back to the blue bench in the yellow corner.

"So, now we're going back to the hotel, right?" Rotom asked.

"Yes. We are." Tess replied.

"Oh, I just realized," Sonic yelped, "Since we're now going to be... living there for a while, I didn't pack all of my stuff with me. I have to go back to Mitis Town to get it."

"Now that you mention it... so do I." I added.

"It's okay, Nifty. We all forget at times." Jake assured.

"We can meet you two back there when you're done." Tess said.

"Yeah. But if our furniture arrives, don't set it up. We're helping you." I warned.

"Why? Can't trust a couple people by themselves?" Tess teased, smirking.

"No, it's not that," I responded, "The thing is... we purchased a whole lotta crap. It'll take all four of us to get set up."

"Eh, good point." Tess agreed.

"We'll zeee you later, guyzzz!" Rotom exclaimed. And shortly after, Jake, Tess and Rotom walk another direction, preferably back to the hotel room.

Once they were out of sight, I grab Charizard's Poke Ball. I throw the ball up in the air, and the large, draconian Pokémon roars as he lands on the ground.

"Only way we'll get back at this rate is by flying." I said to Sonic. Sonic just shows me a smile as he nods.

Both of us hop on Charizard's back.

"Hey, Charizard. You remember where Mitis Town is, right?" I questioned. Charizard looks at me, and growls in approval. Heh, I expected it. He's been in Mitis Town since he was a Charmander.

"Alright! Then let's go!" I cheered. As Charizard starts to fly, Sonic and I hang on a little tighter so we're sure to not fall.

During the flying trip, I was just amazed by the view. This is majestic and amazing.

Good Arceus, I could view this all day if possible...

* * *

 ***scene: Mitis Town***

After a few minutes of that trip, Charizard lands at another place that I knew is super familiar.

Ahh, back in our sweet home: good 'ol Mitis Town.

"Thanks, Charizard." I said to my second starter as I pet his head. Charizard just growls quietly as he lets me pet him. Then I return him after that affectionate moment was over.

"It feels nice coming back here, doesn't it?" Sonic wondered.

"It'd be normal as ever if Team Eclipse didn't ruin it..." I stated. But then I shook my head as I got back on topic, of the reason we came here.

"I'm heading home to get my stuff. I'll meet ya back in this spot, dude." I told my friend.

"Okay, Nifty." Sonic replied. And we head to different directions.

I arrive outside my home. An average sized home, though looking similar to the other houses regarding the exterior.

I just went inside, as the door was unlocked. That's... honestly surprising. If this is Team Eclipse's dirty work, then they did a terrible job.

Anyways, I look around the living room upon entering. Geez, it feels so... empty inside without mom and dad here.

But I'm determined to save them from whatever Team Eclipse would do to them! But first... since I'm traveling as a group, we're all working together.

I shake my bag. Fortunately, there wasn't too much. So I had plenty of room.

Also also, I did pack more of the important necessities for travel, like a few snacks, extra clothing, toothbrushes, etcetera. And, of course, I had my hoverboard and the Mega Stone...

I head upstairs to my room. I think it's about time I give a little tour of what it's like to you, because I may not come back here for a long time.

It was small, but large enough where I can enjoy it. The walls were gray, the floor was made of wood. That's pretty much the basic stuff.

What I can also add is that I have a desk with drawers as part of it, and there's a small lamp on said desk. I have a black and red mixed rug in the middle as a way of representing my support for Team Valor. Speaking of which...

I only had three posters on my wall. Above my large desk, there was the sympathetic poster of me and my family, along with Sonic and his parents. This took place pretty much around a couple years when Sonic and I met.

On one side of the wall, there's a normal Team Valor poster with the logo, and some fire surrounding it. The poster across from that is another Team Valor poster, but it had Candela and her Flareon.

And to finish the tour, I have a large bed that's big enough to fit two people. There was another desk next to my bed, and it was more wide than big. There was a large TV up top, where my Nintendo Switch was connected to it, as the dock sat on the small desk.

But enough explanations. I have to get packing!

So I start with my clothes. Even though I have a spare, I needed to pack more extras. So I did. I also packed spare pajamas, as it wouldn't be too okay to have only one of those, either.

Once I got those out of the way, I packed more clothing-styled things I had. So in short, I packed some long-sleeve shirts, jeans, sweatpants, tank tops, and my swim shorts.

Welp, that's the clothing. And I already had my sketchbook with me, as I do draw sometimes when I'm bored. But I took some more pencils in case one of them broke. Better safe than sorry!

I take my Switch out of the dock. Then I grab the carrying case for it, and place it inside. I also take the Pro Controller, and a GameCube controller (wired) along with the adapter, in case we'll play some Smash Bros. I also took the dock and all the cables, since we bought that TV set at the shop, and we ain't using it for nothing.

Yeah, we're definitely relaxing after this long adventure. Playing some games on my Switch, along with my friends, is just gonna be a good time.

Seriously though, I do _not_ wanna deal with the stupid Joy-Con drift.

Well, that's everything. I'm good to go now. As I said before, I'll take any chance I can take during my adventure.

I reach into my pocket, and grab my trainer card. Just my ID number, my name, and the badge showcase. In which I have three of them, along with Sonic.

I put the trainer card back, and look at my necklace dangling around. I stare at the shiny brick, and smile.

"I guess the career starts here." I mumbled. I double checked to make sure everything is packed.

Yep! It's all snug in my large bag. So I strap my now-heavy bag on, and head back outside to meet up with Sonic.

* * *

 ***meanwhile, with Sonic at his home...***

-3rd person POV-

As soon as Sonic entered his home, three Pokémon were running towards him. Sonic's smile grew wider when he saw them.

Talonflame and Ampharos were relieved to see Sonic alright, that they were basically rambling to him about... something. Lucario, however, just rolls his eyes as he smiles.

"It's great to see you guys, too," Sonic giggled, "But it may be a while since I visit here again. Nifty and I are going to be moving to Anthian City for a bit, along with some friends of ours."

Lucario just waves his hands in a "don't worry about it" motion. Then he smiles as he gestures to himself, as well as the other two Pokémon.

"Ah, good. To know that you three will look after the house until mom and dad come back." Sonic said. Ampharos yaps in agreement, and Talonflame just flies around in a happy manner. And, as always, Lucario just had the calm smile as he appreciates Sonic's decision.

"I'll be right back. Heading to my room to pack." Sonic reminded. The three Pokémon step aside as they let Sonic freely do his packing.

And Sonic also remembered Dratini, as those three Pokémon were watching him.

Sonic headed over to his room. It was just the same as ever. The navy walls, grayish-carpeted floor, along with a large bed with a blue blanket. And then there were tons of movie and video game posters on the walls, too.

"*sigh* I'm going to miss this room. But... at least I'll remember to visit it." Sonic said to himself.

Sonic took this time to pack extra clothes, and other important stuff he needs. Like Nifty, Sonic also has a Switch. So he took that with him as well. Along with the AC adapter, since he thought Nifty might beat him to it with the dock.

Adding onto that, Sonic took a couple posters just for decoration of his new room in Anthian City.

"Phew... that oughta do it." Sonic said. He then looks down to see the silver sphere necklace. Sonic showed a determined smile, and looks out into the distance from a window.

Just looking out there reminded Sonic of seeing Nifty leave back to his own home for the years that the two friends have known each other.

"Well... it's time to go." Sonic mumbled. And he walks back down until he reaches the main entrance.

But before Sonic put his hand on the door to leave, Ampharos places his hand on Sonic's shoulder.

"Hm? What is it, Ampharos?" Sonic questioned. Talonflame soon flew over.

"I'm sorry, guys. But I can't stay." Sonic said sadly. Talonflame shakes his head, then he and Ampharos turn backwards to show Sonic something.

Sonic looked forward as he saw Lucario walking towards him. Once the two were just a little apart from each other, Lucario extends his hand to show Sonic something.

Sonic gasped. It was a black ring, with some weird, smaller rainbowish stone in it. It was a Mega Ring, with a Key Stone built inside it.

"Y... You're giving this to me?" Sonic asked. Lucario nods, and then offers the ring again. Sonic took the ring in his hands. He placed it on his right arm. It fit him perfectly.

After Sonic puts the ring on, Lucario offers a handshake as a blue aura emitted from his palm.

Sonic knew what was gonna happen, so he accepts the handshake and closes his eyes as the aura surrounds the two.

 **"That ring belonged to your father. And now, it's up to you to continue the legacy."** Lucario's voice can be heard telepathically. Only Sonic can hear the aura Pokémon speak, though.

"Lucario..." Sonic muttered.

 **"Just trust me when I say it's okay for you to keep this,"** Lucario reminded, **"Your parents would probably do the same thing. We all agreed that you're responsible enough to keep hold of this priceless artifact. And also... leave it to us to take care of the house until your parents are saved."**

Lucario lets go, and the aura dissipates. Sonic's smile grew wider, and then he hugs the Pokémon. Lucario was unfazed, nor did he flinch. But he hugs back.

"Thank you, Lucario. I promise I will take care of this ring." Sonic sighed happily. Lucario just grunts, still showing the calm smile.

Seconds later, Sonic lets go and opens the door. Before heading out, he turns to the Pokémon one last time, and waves. The three Pokémon wave back.

And, for a long time, Sonic leaves his childhood home.

* * *

 ***outside Mitis Town***

-Nifty's POV-

I stand around with my hands in my pockets. I sent out Charizard again so we can fly back. So now I just had to wait for my friend.

"GAH!" I yelped as a hand abruptly lands on my shoulder. I turn around to see Sonic. I should've known...

"Arceus d**n it, man, every time." I ranted.

"Aw, come on! It's fun!" Sonic giggled.

"Heh, sure..." I roll my eyes, still smirking. But then... something black caught my eye.

"Huh?" I look at Sonic's right arm, and... holy crap! He has a Mega Ring?!

"You... You got a Mega Ring?" I exclaimed, my face in a shocked position.

"Lucario gave it to me." Sonic replied.

"Well, heh, he sure is glad to give that to you. And I would agree on that as well." I chuckled.

"Thanks, Nifty." Sonic said.

"Any time, dude." I responded. I then hop on Charizard again, with Sonic following behind.

"Okay, Charizard! Let's go back to Anthian City!" I yelled excitedly. Sonic and I made sure we were hanging on tight as Charizard flies.

* * *

 ***scene: Anthian City Housing District***

Charizard lands on the large spot at the start of the whole city, near where the airship is at. I thank my second starter again, and return him once again.

I decided, as I got time, to try and get used to my hoverboard again. So I take it out and step on it, making sure to stay balanced.

"You're enjoying that hoverboard, aren't you, Nifty?" Sonic teased.

"What can I say? It's, like, really enjoyable." I replied. The two of us head to the Golden Poke Ball, but I made sure to lean only a little bit to make sure I don't fall.

When we arrive at the entrance, I stumbled when I stopped. But I pushed myself on the balance act to prevent myself from falling.

Fortunately, I managed to not fall. I step off the hoverboard and put it away, then I open the huge door to the Golden Poke Ball.

I hold the door open to allow Sonic to go inside. He thanks me, then does so. I close the door when he stands beside me.

We walk to the front desk, and the lady from earlier looks at us, as if she expected us.

"You are Nifty Weaka, correct?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am." I replied.

"Your bought items have just arrived, and are on its way to your room. Thank you for your request." The woman said with a bow.

"Any time." I chuckled. Sonic and I look at each other, and we just nod in unison. We headed to the elevator.

It opens, and we head inside, meeting with the bright, yellow walls of the interior of the elevator. I pressed the button of the floor we were going to (because I saw which button the lady pressed earlier), and the doors slide to close.

About ten seconds later, the doors slide open, and Sonic and I walk to where our room is.

I knock on the door because I know who to expect. Upon doing so, Tess opens the door.

"Ah, Nifty! And Sonic! Right on time!" She said gleefully.

"Our furniture is there, isn't it?" Sonic assumed.

"Yes. Oh, and don't worry about the paint. That's already taken care of by the workers." Tess reminded.

"Oh, cool." I replied.

"Now... shall we start decorating, boys?" Tess asked while smirking.

"You bet!" Sonic cheered.

"Let's go for it." I added. Tess smiles as she nods her head. And then we head inside the room to start rearranging everything.

Time to give this time in Anthian City... one of the best times of our life.

* * *

 **A/N: Whoo! I hope this was worth it, guys! And that's just part one! Next up, the gang is gonna explore the hotel!**

 **Oh, and there's gonna be another battle between Nifty and Sonic at the end of the next chapter, just to put some long-awaited action. ;)**

 **Also, I do wanna point out that this story... I imagine the characters to look more human-like, just like in the anime. It seemed noticeable from the explanation of the noob board.**

 **But anyways, thank you for reading! The next battles in more future chapters are guaranteed to get better!**

 **Have a great day, and I'll see ya next time! :D**


	24. Deleted Scene

**Hey guys! Back again with a** ** _mini_** **chapter! And it's... basically for an actual reason this time.**

 **Back in the last chapter, I bet you remember I put an author's note in the middle of the story saying that I was originally gonna add a scene in the Stone Shop, but it got scrapped due to my anger. :/**

 **This chapter... is gonna show that scene. Then, I'll work on the next part of the arc, including a long-awaited battle between Nifty and Sonic!**

 **But here's the Stone Shop scene. Enjoy! :D**

* * *

I opened the door to the Stone Shop. But _geez,_ like almost every other building in this large city, it's bigger on the inside. Seriously.

We were met with some white walls, with the bottom part of it being blue. And as for the parts that _do_ matter...

A white tiled floor with gray paths, and there were large display cases which had stuff like evolutionary stones, and... Mega Stones. Most of the cases were surrounded by the classic red rope.

"Whoa, bzzt! Thizzz is such an amazing building!" Rotom complimented.

"It is amazing, ain't it?" I said with a shrug. I won't lie, the view of this building is certainly inspiring.

"I wonder they might have here." Sonic wondered. So we took this time now to explore what kind of priceless objects they have in this shop.

Eh, either way, we were looking at the display cases first of all. And there were also other sections that held other things. Most of the things I saw were gems.

And no, they weren't plastic nor fake. Those are _real_ gems.

Then there was also evolutionary stones. Fire Stone, Water Stone, Leaf Stone, etc. Phew, perfect for anyone looking to evolve their Pokémon!

You know, for those that need a stone to evolve.

And, the most awesome part about the whole shop is, of course, the Mega Stones. Now, I did study Mega Evolution back in school. But I can't remember all of them off the top of my head.

Suddenly... one of the Mega Stones caught my eye.

Through more displaying, I saw a stone that was... orange. And that swirly thing in the middle was... red.

I reach into my bag, and pull out that stone that I got. It was _exactly_ like the one in the case.

Holy Arceus.

With curiosity overwhelming me, I walk to one of the front desks, where a woman looked at me and smiled.

"Excuse me, ma'am," I said respectfully, "I found that this stone I have looks exactly like the one I saw being displayed in the case. Do you know what this is?"

"Yes I do, sir. That's a Charizardite Y. If you have access to Mega Evolution through a Key Stone, you can Mega Evolve your Charizard as long as it holds that stone." The woman replied. I gasped at that.

This... is a great chance! When I get a Key Stone, I can finally try out Mega Evolution! And Charizard is gonna be the one helping me!

The others walked up to me after the explanation was done.

I looked at Sonic and tilted my head slightly, smirking. Sonic nodded, as he knew what I was telling him.

"And what about this one?" Sonic shows the lady his stone that he obtained.

"A Charizardite X. Both Mega Evolutions are different, and it's best to know which one suits you best." She stated. All of us had huge smiles on our faces.

"This is AMAZING! You two are gonna have Mega Evolution with you one day!" Jake screeched excitedly.

"You'll be able to counter opponents easier that way with that. I bet even against... _that_ duo." Tess stated, emphasizing her sentence to not cause suspicion.

"Now, that... I can accept." I said with a smirk.

"Yes, indeed." Sonic responded, "But our shopping spree isn't over just yet. Let's go."

We all left. I decided to once again be the door opener.

But... even though the door isn't locked, it didn't open.

"What the hell? Why is it not opening?" I exclaimed.

"Try the handle, Nifty." Tess said. What the FRICK is she talking about? I _did_ try the handle!

"Nifty... I mean the handle below." Tess groaned. There was a black handle below the knob.

Gosh darn it...

Still didn't open after I tried that. I slapped my knee in annoyance.

"Yeah, that's easier said than done, Tess." I mocked.

"Adjusting it! That's all it is." Tess exclaimed.

"No, nothing pisses me off without getting away." I scoffed.

"Nifty, can you please be more open with what I'm trying to tell you?" Tess asked.

"How about you be more open in shutting the f**k up?" I retorted. Tess gasped at that. She looked _offended_ from my roast.

Sonic and Jake seemed uncomfortable, and Rotom was... in my opinion, recording this. I guess.

I smirked.

"See, there's always another plan I keep in mind." I started. I pulled out the Ultra Ball from my pocket, and sent out Doublade.

"When one way doesn't open, you force it." I continued. I pointed at the door. Doublade makes a metallic ghostly sound as it gets angry. Then...

 _SLASH!_

Doublade cuts the door open.

"Make a way for the bada**!" I laughed, enjoying my little rebel. I turned back to the rest. Rotom stared, and Sonic and Jake were downright confused.

But Tess was _pissed._ Her hands clenched into fists, and she grits her teeth, showing how angry she was.

"F**k you." She snapped.

"I get that a lot." I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"*ahem* Sir," I heard the front desk woman's voice as she approached me, "You need to pay for-"

"Take my Robux. It'll help you out." I interrupted her, giving her some Robux. She was surprised, but thanked me either way.

"So... what now?" Sonic asked.

"Let's take a break by that bench over there, at the corner." I suggested, pointing at said bench.

"If you say so, Nifty." Rotom said. And we all walked (Rotom floated) to where the bench is at.

* * *

 **A/N: Aight, that's all. Yeah, the door break part wouldn't be added originally, but I put it in for two reasons:**

 **One, life. Two, I wanted to make another scene like "Music, Brah". If you didn't know yet, Nifty and Tess are "frenemies." They're still friends, but because Nifty almost never takes Tess's suggestions, it gets her ANGERY.**

 **So that's pretty much why those two are frenemies.**

 **But that's all I got! See you next time, everyone! Have a great day! :)**


End file.
